WICHITA — The date of a preliminary hearing for a former 2021 Great Bend High School senior charged in the shooting death of a Wichita teen has yet to determined, said Christina Ramirez, administrative aide to 18th Judicial District Judge Eric Williams, who is presiding over the case.
Breckyn Isabella Elliott, 18, of Great Bend, and Easton Palmer, 19, of Wichita, Monday went before Williams for what was called a preliminary hearing case assessment. At that time, the matter was continued until July 8 when there will be a preliminary control hearing where prosecuting and defense attorneys will look at schedules and consider next steps for the cases against both suspects, Ramirez said.
The Wichita Police Department arrested Elliott on April 29 near 21st and Maize Road as the second suspect in connection to the shooting death of 17-year-old Eric Stokes, who was shot and killed at Morgan’s Landing Apartments near 13th and West streets in Wichita on Sunday, April 25.
Police arrested Palmer on April 27 at a home in the 11200 block of west Dora on the same charges.
Elliott and Palmer were both booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, each on one count of first-degree murder in commission of a felony. They were being held in lieu of a $250,000 professional surety bond, but Elliott has since bonded out while Palmer remains in custody, court records indicated.
Authorities on Monday arrested a third suspect, 25-year-old Jaron Palmer, also charged with first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery in connection with Stokes’s death, said WPD Public Relations Officer Paul Cruz. He remains in custody on the murder count, as well as charges of sexual exploitation of a child, in lieu of a professional surety bond of $500,000.
The WPD was expected to present its case against Jaron Palmer Thursday afternoon, said Dan Dillon, spokesman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
According to a Wichita Police Department news release, Stokes and four others were in an apartment when three armed suspects in masks forced their way inside. Stokes and the others went into a bedroom, and police allege the suspects fired several shots.
A second teen suffered minor injuries in the shooting. Investigators believe the incident was drug related.