For money and drugs: Wichita man sentenced for role in fatal 2022 shooting
A 23-year-old man will spend more than nine years in prison for his role in a deadly shooting in east Wichita in 2022, a judge ruled Thursday.
Caviontay Ramone Conway of Wichita pleaded guilty on Aug. 30 to one count each of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery in connection with the Aug. 15, 2022, fatal shooting of 49-year-old Dennis Haynes . Conway also pleaded guilty to four counts of kidnapping, court records show.
Wichita police have said Haynes was with other people inside a home in the 5200 block of East Gilbert, near Kellogg and Oliver, when at least two men went inside with guns . One witness told police the armed men woke them up, demanded money and drugs and rifled through items in the house, a probable cause affidavit says.
Haynes was shot shortly before 8 a.m. He died at a Wichita hospital about 30 minutes later.
Wichita police later arrested Conway and Shannon B. Cavitt Jr., who is serving a life sentence in the case after being convicted at trial of several crimes, including first-degree murder.
At Conway's sentencing hearing Thursday, defense lawyer Mark Sevart called the case "very complex and sad" but said Conway was not "the trigger man" or "the brains behind the operation."
He asked Sedgwick County District Judge Jeffrey Goering to find "exceptional circumstances" exist to justify putting Conway on probation because he cooperated with authorities, was less culpable than his co-defendant and testified in open court, which he said could put Conway's life at risk in prison.
Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney Justin Edwards acknowledged that Conway did a "great service" by coming forward but said he deserved a prison sentence for choosing to participate in an activity that resulted in a man's death.
No one from the victim's family spoke in court Thursday. Conway didn't make a statement, either.
Goering ordered Conway to serve 55 months on each of six counts and 38 months for the seventh, plus pay part of $3,000 in restitution to the victim's family. Conway has to serve two of the 55-month terms back-to-back, for a total of 110 months. The rest of the sentences will be served simultaneously with those.
Cavitt, 42, of Wichita, was convicted in September 2023 and sentenced in January.
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