SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas man is going to prison for his role in beating a homeless man to death.
On Monday, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 34-year-old Abel Molina to 297 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.
In September, a jury found Molina guilty of second-degree murder and possession of meth.
In February of 2022, police responded to a 911 call in the 600 block of N. Seneca in Wichita after a caller reported a person was being beaten on the Seneca Street bridge, according to Officer Trevor Macy.
Officers and EMS responded and located 30-year-old Blake Barnes of Wichita. He was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and later pronounced deceased.
Officers contacted the witness who was able to direct them to a suspect – identified as 64-year-old David Chandler who was reported to have struck Barnes several times with a metal pipe. Police took Chandler into custody while he was walking away from the crime scene.
The witness reported another suspect was also involved but left the scene on a bicycle prior to officers arriving. The second suspect, identified as Abel Molina, was located in the 400 block of N. Seneca, where he was taken into custody.