Man killed roommate at Wichita apartment last month ‘in heat of passion,’ plea says
A 22-year-old Wichita man is scheduled for sentencing in September in the shooting death of his roommate, which lawyers say happened “in the heat of passion.”
Peter J. McKinney entered an Alford plea on July 23 to an amended count of voluntary manslaughter in the July 1 death of 25-year-old Sebastian E. Crawford, Sedgwick County District Court records show. An Alford plea has the same outcome as a guilty plea but allows a defendant to maintain innocence.
The plea and conviction happened on the same day McKinney was scheduled for a preliminary hearing, which he waived along with his arraignment. It was a quick conclusion in a sort of case that generally takes months to resolve.
District Judge Sean Hatfield set McKinney’s sentencing hearing for Sept. 19.
McKinney’s plea agreement and an amended complaint say he fatally shot Crawford “knowingly” and “in the heat of passion” around 11 a.m. while they were at their apartment at 202 N. Rock Road — but neither document offers a motive. Police also have not said publicly exactly what led to the shooting, other than a potential argument. The Eagle on Wednesday asked the court to unseal the probable cause affidavit in the case but that’s not expected to happen for several days.
Affidavits generally contain details of police investigations, including summaries of witness and suspect interviews that may reveal the motive behind a crime.
Crawford died on July 1 at Village Park Rockborough Apartments from one gunshot wound, Wichita police have said. The apartment complex is near the Douglas and Rock intersection. Some online records also spell his first name as Sebastion.
McKinney was originally charged with second-degree unintentional but reckless murder in the case. He is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on $250,000 bail.
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