Wichita Copes With 2 Quadruple Murders

W I C H I T A, Kan., Dec. 15, 2000 -- Police today said four people were abducted, taken to a bankATM machine and driven to a field where they were shot dead — Wichita’s second quadruple homicide in eight days. A fifth victimwas wounded.

Unnerved city leaders vowed Wichita would not give in toviolence, just more than a week after another group of four people were found deadin a northeast Wichita home — about 5 miles from today’s crimescene.

“I confess to you I don’t understand how human beings couldtreat each other that way,” said Mayor Bob Knight, joined at anews conference by four City Council members.

Knight said later, “This community is not going to be defeatedby savage acts like this.”

Suspects in Custody

Two suspects linked to today’s case, both men, were in custodyby midday, though no charges had been filed. Tips led policeto arrest the first man about 9 a.m. local time; the second was arrested about1 p.m. after officers tackled him as he ran from a house away fromthe crime scene.

No other suspects were sought.

Police believe the victims were abducted from a home, taken tothe ATM and then to a field about 100 yards from the Greenwich Roadexit on Kansas 96, where they were shot.

“We don’t believe they voluntarily came out here,” policeCapt. Robert Lee said. He said detectives were investigatingpossible links between the crime and ATM withdrawals.

Connection to Shooting?Lee said detectives also were probing whether the shootings wereconnected to a shooting Monday that injured one woman. Otherdetails of that incident were not released.

Three victims were found dead about 2:30 a.m. near a car in thefield. A fourth victim was taken from the scene to a Wichitahospital more than three hours later but died at the hospital. Leedeclined to explain the delay in transporting the victim, sayingthat emergency medics had made the determination.

By the time dawn broke, police had isolated numerous crimescenes throughout the city: the house from where the victims wereabducted, a Wichita bank, the remote field where the bodies werefound, a house near the crime scene where one of the victims ranfor help, and an apartment complex near Wichita State Universitywhere the suspects’ truck was located.

Police said the dead included three men and a woman, all intheir 20s. Another woman, 25, survived the shooting, Lee said. Sheapparently escaped and ran to the nearest house about aquarter-mile away to call for help. She was in serious condition atWesley Medical Center.

The aunt of one of the victims told The Pratt Tribune that JasonBefort, an Augusta High School science teacher and athletics coach,was among the dead. Superintendent James T. Markos also confirmedthe identity, and said the school had canceled all weekend athleticactivities.

Crisis counselors were on hand to talk with students, but theschool would stay open, Markos said.

No Link To Last Week’s MurdersLee said today’s deaths appeared unrelated to those of four peoplefound shot to death Dec. 7. Raeshawnda Wheaton, 18; QuincyWilliams, 17; Odessa Laquita Ford, 17; and Jermaine Levy, 20, werefound dead last week when a friend went to the house. Williams andFord were cousins. Ford was renting the house. On Thursday, a thirdman was charged in the case.

Earl W. Bell, 20, will face capital murder charges in thedeaths, District Attorney Nola Foulston said. He was arrested hoursafter the four bodies were discovered, but had not been formallycharged until Thursday.

Cornelius Devon Oliver, 28, was charged Monday with one count offirst-degree murder and three counts of capital murder. His bondwas set at $4 million.

Also charged Monday was Troy L. Bell, 32. He was charged withone count of aiding a felony for allegedly helping Oliver avoidarrest. His bond was set at $50,000. Earl and Troy Bell arebrothers.

Authorities have said they are investigating a fourth man in thecase, but have declined to discuss a motive or other details of thecrime.