In the early morning hours of August 8, 2015, the life of 23-year-old Rayan Ibrahim Baba, a male undergraduate student from Saudi Arabia, was tragically cut short in Wichita, Kansas. Baba, who was studying electrical engineering at Wichita State University, was discovered around 6:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Fairmount Towers, one of the university's dormitories where he lived.
He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a local hospital, where he died about half an hour later. Baba had been a student during the previous spring semester and was in the process of moving out of the dorm when the shooting occurred. His death marked the first homicide on the Wichita State University campus in over two decades.
The investigation into the death quickly revealed that it was not a random act of violence. Police determined that Baba was acquainted with the two individuals who would soon become the primary suspects and had arranged to meet them that morning. The day after the shooting, Wichita police arrested 23-year-old Isaiah Copridge and 20-year-old Eboni Fingal in connection with the killing. According to court documents, Baba had previously encountered Fingal in July after responding to an online ad for sexual services. On the morning of his death, he again contacted Fingal, which led to the fatal meeting in the dormitory parking lot involving both Fingal and Copridge. Cellphone records and surveillance video placed both suspects with Baba around 5:30 a.m.
Both Isaiah Copridge and Eboni Fingal were charged with first-degree murder and aggravated robbery. As the legal proceedings unfolded, the initial charges were amended. Isaiah Copridge ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for his role in the crime. Eboni Fingal accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and robbery. The investigation suggested that the motive was robbery, as authorities noted Baba had withdrawn a significant amount of cash the day before his death, much of which was missing when he was found.
