On a crisp November evening in 2017, the life of Michael Nelson, a 51-year-old White / Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Wichita, Kansas. A United States Army veteran who had served during Desert Storm, Nelson was a father and a man known for his love of the outdoors and his enthusiasm for Kansas City Chiefs football. He had built a life in Wichita working as a Licensed Practical Nurse and in construction.
On the evening of November 15th, Michael Nelson was visiting a friend.
He was standing by himself on the street in the 1400 block of East Gidley when a vehicle approached. An exchange of words followed, shattering the quiet of the neighborhood with the sound of gunfire. A neighbor reported hearing four distinct pops. Struck by a single bullet, Nelson was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal.
The investigation into the drive-by shooting led Wichita police to a suspect the very next day. Jeremy L. Honeycutt, a 37-year-old man, was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Honeycutt was not unknown to law enforcement and had previously been featured on the MSNBC show "Lockup," which was filmed at the Sedgwick County Jail. A double amputee since the age of six after being struck by a train, Honeycutt had a criminal record and had been released from prison earlier that year before being jailed again on a weapons charge. The arrest brought a swift, though not final, turn to the investigation into the sudden and violent death of Michael Nelson.
