Crime
18-Year-Old Arrested for First-Degree Murder in Southeast Wichita Shooting
Wichita, KS – An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder following a fatal shooting in a southeast Wichita neighborhood.
The victim has been identified as 23-year-old Manuel Roach, a Wichita resident.
According to the Wichita Police Department (WPD), officers responded to reports of gunfire shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the 1200 block of South Bleckley Drive, located southeast of Lincoln and Oliver.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered Roach with life-threatening gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Roach was involved in a disturbance with three unidentified men, all dressed in black, before the shooting.
Witnesses reported seeing the suspects exit a white SUV, approach the victim, and open fire.
The suspects then fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
The 18-year-old suspect, who has not been publicly identified, later arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.
Police determined he was involved in the shooting, leading to his arrest and booking into the Sedgwick County Jail on a first-degree murder charge.
Authorities believe Roach was targeted, though the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
WPD is actively searching for the three additional suspects and the white SUV seen leaving the scene.
Officials urge anyone with information to contact Wichita Police at 911 or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
Crime
Eric Bechtolt Killed After Shooting at Florence Tower in Omaha, Suspect Billy Dorrall Arrested
Omaha, NE – On Sunday evening, Omaha Police Department officers responded to an active shooting at Florence Tower, located at 5100 Florence Blvd, following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire inside the building.
The first reports were received at 6:05 p.m., with at least three separate callers stating they had heard shots fired on the fifth or sixth floor of the apartment complex.
By 6:14 p.m., a fourth caller reported seeing a male suspect walking on the sixth floor carrying two handguns.
Uniform Patrol officers arrived on scene at 6:11 p.m. and began a floor-by-floor search of the building, starting from the fifth floor.
As officers ascended the south stairwell toward the sixth floor, they heard sounds of a disturbance.
Just as they neared the sixth-floor door, it was abruptly opened by a male suspect — later identified as 50-year-old Billy A. Dorrall.
At that moment, one officer discharged their service weapon, striking Dorrall in the left hip.
In response, Dorrall fired back down the stairwell and then retreated into the sixth-floor hallway.
Once back in the hallway, Dorrall reportedly fired multiple rounds, aiming both up and down the corridor, and threatened several residents at gunpoint.
A coordinated arrest team, equipped with a ballistic shield, moved into position while officers in the stairwell maintained containment. As they prepared to enter the hallway, officers heard additional gunfire.
The arrest team entered the hallway, issued loud verbal commands, and Dorrall surrendered without further incident.
He was immediately provided medical treatment by Omaha Fire Department personnel and transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He has since been released into police custody.
During the investigation, officers recovered surveillance footage from building cameras, which was provided by the Omaha Housing Authority.
The footage shows Dorrall behaving erratically and confronting residents before engaging in a verbal altercation with another tenant, identified as 45-year-old Eric M. Bechtolt.
The video shows Dorrall returning to his apartment, retrieving a firearm, and shooting Bechtolt multiple times in the hallway. Responding officers later found Bechtolt deceased outside the stairwell door.
Dorrall was interviewed by detectives and provided a full confession, admitting to the murder of Bechtolt.
He also expressed an intent to kill additional residents and responding officers had he not been stopped.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement commending the officers involved:
“I want to commend the officers who responded to this incredibly dangerous situation. Their training, courage, and swift response undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. What unfolded at Florence Tower was tragic, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Bechtolt. Our officers acted heroically under extreme pressure, and I am proud of their commitment to protecting the residents of Omaha.”
The department has released still images from surveillance footage, showing Dorrall armed with two handguns, along with crime scene photographs of the weapons, ammunition, and spent shell casings recovered from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.