Man faces life sentence for Wichita park killing, bike theft

A Valley Center man has been convicted of first-degree murder in a fatal shooting by Riverside Park in 2021.

A jury on Wednesday found Derek A. Zamzow, 23, guilty in the shooting death of 32-year-old Jason D. Huber of Wichita and also of aggravated robbery and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records show.

Police have said Huber’s killer shot him at Murdock and Stackman on Sept. 2, 2021, stole the threewheeled bike he was riding and left him for dead. The shooter crouched by a wall of the Little Arkansas Bridge then stood up and fired at Huber as he rode by on his bicycle, an affidavit released by the court says video of the shooting shows. The shooter then got on the bike and took off, the affidavit says.

Police found Huber fatally wounded around 2:15 a.m. after someone who saw him lying on a sidewalk called 911, police have said. He was pronounced dead at a Wichita hospital from two gunshot wounds to his head and one to his buttocks, the affidavit says.

Police previously said Huber was at a downtown gas station on his bike and left shortly before he was shot. Authorities investigated a vehicle that followed him from the gas station.

Zamzow is scheduled for sentencing on June 18. He faces life in prison for the murder conviction, plus more time for the other crimes.

Two other men were originally arrested for the shooting but were later released. One, from Dodge City, was cleared of involvement without any charges, police said at the time. The other, Daniel S. Carpenter, was criminally charged but prosecutors dismissed his case without prejudice in

August 2023 after Zamzow was charged, court records show.

Prosecutors can refile charges that are dismissed without prejudice at a later date if they see fit.

Zamzow’s trial started Monday. Jurors deliberated for around three hours before handing down the guilty verdicts, Dan Dillon, a spokesman for the

Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office said.

Sedgwick County District Judge David Dahl presided.