Angel Lara, a 25-year-old man convicted of murder in Wichita, has died just over a year into his prison sentence.
According to the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), Lara became ill while at the Lansing Correctional Facility Clinic on Tuesday. Despite lifesaving efforts by staff and EMS, he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The exact cause of Lara’s death is currently unknown, pending the results of an independent autopsy. As per protocol, the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation are conducting a full investigation into the incident.
Lara was sentenced in October 2023 to 10.25 years in prison for the shooting death of 31-year-old Chance Martin. The tragic incident occurred on May 10, 2023, during an altercation near Sunnybrook and Rutan in the Planeview neighborhood of Wichita. Lara pleaded guilty to reckless second-degree murder in connection with the case.
Records indicate that Lara initially entered the prison system at the Reception and Diagnostic Unit in El Dorado in December 2023. He was later transferred to the Lansing Correctional Facility in February 2024.
This unexpected death adds another layer of tragedy to an already somber case and leaves many questions unanswered as investigations continue.
