Wichita man gets nearly 20 years for 2021 murder of cousin

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Jason Payne, a 41-year-old Wichita man who pled guilty last year to the January 2021 murder of his cousin, was sentenced Thursday to 235 months in prison. Payne admitted to the stabbing death of 52-year-old Michael Montgomery, who was disabled and confined to a wheelchair.

On Jan. 13, 2021, police found Payne lying in traffic near the intersection of 13th and Oliver, where Payne told an officer that he had killed his cousin. Police went to Payne’s apartment complex and found a wheelchair and several discarded latex gloves. In a crawl space, officers found a nylon duffel bag with Montgomery’s body inside. An autopsy showed Montgomery died of multiple stab wounds to the head and body.

Payne told police he became angry with his cousin when Montgomery told him he had molested people in the past. Payne said he got a throwing knife out of his room and began stabbing his cousin. He was drinking and doing drugs until he surrendered to police.

Though initially charged with first-degree murder, Payne’s guilty plea was for second-degree murder.