Plea: Wichita man ran over, killed childhood friend after gin, chess, religion fight

A Wichita man pleaded no contest late last month to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of interference with a law enforcement officer for running over and killing a childhood friend after they spent time together drinking pineapple gin, playing chess and arguing about religion.

Travis D. Shaw, 43, will be sentenced Sept. 23 for the Nov. 16, 2019, death of 42-year-old David A. Lee of Wichita.

According to Shaw’s plea agreement, Lee was killed after he and Shaw drank heavily and fought “about sensitive subjects.”

A “sudden quarrel ensued” as the men were leaving Lee’s apartment at 924 S. Mission to buy Black and Mild cigars, the agreement says.

Shaw drove his 2006 Chrysler 300 sedan over Lee in the front yard, causing him to “become lodged underneath” the car, the agreement says. Shaw walked away afterward.

Lee’s fiancee discovered his body pinned beneath the car.

Shaw called 911 shortly after 2:30 a.m. that morning with a lie about what had occurred: He claimed three masked men robbed him at gunpoint and “possibly took” the vehicle that ran over Lee.

A neighbor’s video recording disputed Shaw’s carjacking account.

Lee died from mechanical asphyxia and also suffered blunt force injuries to his head and torso, cuts and bruises and thermal injuries to one foot, his autopsy report says.

His fiancee told the police the men’s conversation turned heated during a discussion about the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and Shaw “being a ‘natural born killer,’” an affidavit released by the court says.

Attorneys plan to ask Judge Tyler Roush to send Shaw to prison for eight years when he is sentenced, his plea agreement says. He entered the plea on July 29.