Second Topeka murder suspect convicted in 2019 killing
TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Shawnee County District Attorney's Office has announced that a man has been convicted in relation to killing a teen.
Danny Kaye Williams was charged as part of a 2019 murder case involving the death of Joaquin McKinney. The four-day trial for the case concluded on Thursday when the jury returned with a verdict of guilty for three felonies:
- Premeditated first-degree murder
- Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle
- First-degree murder committed during an inherently dangerous felony
The sentencing for Williams has not been scheduled yet, but the district attorney's office has said that he will be facing a presumptive life term on the murder charge, which will require a minimum of 50 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
Another co-defendant, Zachary McFall, was previously convicted of the same charges and is currently serving a life sentence. The last co-defendant, Lavonte Johnson, is set for trial in May 2022, after a judge previously declared a mistrial for his case, according to Shawnee County court records. Johnson is facing charges of first-degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm.
McKinney was killed on July 25, 2019, when police were called to the area of Southeast 37th and Adams in reference to a report of a drive-by shooting. Reports from the area indicated that a blue vehicle was chasing a white vehicle west on 37th St. through the intersections of Adams when the occupants of the blue vehicle began shooting at the white vehicle.
Police found the white vehicle had become disabled in an accident near Southeast 37th and Virginia. Police found McKinney in the blue vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead that same day.