Kayanna Gonzalez, a 21-year-old resident of Billings, Montana, was shot on June 4, 2019, and later died of her wound. Her death was ruled a homicide and occurred during a violent incident that began with the beating of an 18-year-old woman. Two men, 38-year-old William Maurice Newkirk and 29-year-old Jevon Lamont King, participated in that assault. As the 18-year-old was being pulled from a vehicle she grabbed a firearm from the car’s center console and fired; the bullet struck Gonzalez. Gonzalez was taken to a local hospital but did not survive.

Newkirk and King were arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault by accountability for their roles in the beating that immediately precipitated the shooting. Prosecutors declined to charge the 18-year-old shooter after determining she had been a victim of the assault. Subsequent investigation uncovered a broader human trafficking operation tied to Newkirk that involved nearly 20 victims, including minors. Information about victims or witnesses who can shed light on Kayanna’s final hours is still needed — did anyone see the events around the vehicle on June 4, 2019?