In the early morning hours of February 21, 2016, the life of 26-year-old JaRon V. Sanders, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Wichita, Kansas. Sanders had been hosting a party at his home in the 600 block of North Erie. By most accounts, the gathering had been peaceful. However, as the party wound down, an argument erupted between Sanders and another individual in the street outside his residence.
During the course of the dispute, a single gunshot rang out,
striking Sanders in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. When police arrived, the street was empty; the witnesses to the shooting had dispersed, leaving investigators with very little to go on in the initial stages of their inquiry. The police spent the immediate aftermath trying to locate attendees of the party to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. This lack of cooperation from potential witnesses proved to be a significant hurdle for law enforcement.
Despite the initial challenges, the investigation eventually led to a suspect. Travis Johnson was arrested in connection with the death of JaRon Sanders. In January 2017, a jury found Johnson guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm. The following month, a Sedgwick County judge sentenced Travis Johnson to 58 years in prison for the senseless act of violence that ended JaRon Sanders' life.
