On the evening of April 17, 2025, 33-year-old Eric Lopez-Morales, a Hispanic male staying at the Frontier Motel on South Broadway in Wichita, was shot and killed following a physical altercation in the motel parking lot. Wichita police, nearby on an unrelated call, heard gunfire at 9:47 p.m., found Lopez-Morales with a gunshot wound to his upper torso and, despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 10:04 p.m. The shooting was recorded as the city’s sixth homicide of the year.

Investigators say the shooting followed a fight between Lopez-Morales and unknown males. The Wichita Police Department later identified 34-year-old Craig C. Steele as a person of interest and sought him for questioning; police subsequently reported Steele was in custody and scheduled for a preliminary hearing related to the motel killing. Lopez-Morales is survived by three children; family members described him as playful, kindhearted and easygoing and held a private memorial.

Does anyone have information about the altercation at the Frontier Motel or about those involved that could help investigators?