28 September 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Sedgwick County judge on Thursday sentenced a Wichita man for the murder of Joseph Florence.
Tyler Kelly was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree murder, 43 months for aggravated burglary and 13 months for aggravated assault. He was found guilty by a jury at the end of July.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office says Kelly will have to serve 25 years plus 56 months before being considered for parole.
The incident happened on July 17, 2021. Court documents show police responded to two different calls around 9:49 p.m. One call was a burglary in progress, and the other caller said they saw a male, later identified as 16-year-old Joseph Florence, injured and lying in a driveway in the same area.
Police arrived and found Florence with a gunshot wound to the torso, and he was transported to a hospital, not breathing. He was later pronounced dead.
Court filings say an investigation found Kelly and another person drove to Florence’s house to scare Florence because of a problem over a girl. They went into Florence’s room, where an altercation occurred, and Florence was shot.