State v. Soto

349 P.3d 1256, 301 Kan. 969, 2015 Kan. LEXIS 317
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedMay 15, 2015
DocketNo. 109,374
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 349 P.3d 1256 (State v. Soto) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Soto, 349 P.3d 1256, 301 Kan. 969, 2015 Kan. LEXIS 317 (kan 2015).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Malone, J.:

Domingo Soto appeals his juiy trial convictions for aiding and abetting first-degree premeditated murder, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana. He argues the district court erred in denying his motion for new trial based on the State’s failure to disclose the principal defendant would be available to testily and failing to give a lesser included intentional second-degree murder jury instruction. Finding no reversible error, we affirm.

[972]*972Factual and Procedural Background

The Killing of Steven Freel

During the late morning hours of December 7,2011, the coipse of Steven Freel was discovered on the edge of a dirt road in rural Riley County, Kansas. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to his chest, and it appeared the body had been there overnight. On the same day, Michael Blake Layne was established as a suspect in the fatal shooting.

In 2011, 19-year-old Layne worked for 41-year-old Domingo Soto at an equestrian center located in Riley County. Layne called Soto “Boss,” and Soto was also known as “El Diablo.” Soto lived in a trailer on the grounds and served as a caretaker for the property. Soto was also involved with distributing illegal drugs, specifically methamphetamine and marijuana. Soto would front marijuana to Layne who would later pay him back.

Freel and his girlfriend Nicole Langdon regularly purchased marijuana from Layne. In August 2011, Layne presumably committed a robbery with a gun he borrowed from Freel. In the ensuing investigation, Riley County Detective Ryan Runyan spoke with Layne and Freel about the armed robbery. Significantly, Detective Runyan informed Layne he knew Freel had provided him a gun for the robbery.

Subsequently in October or November 2011, Layne met Reyna Youdath, a college student who shared his interest in drugs. Layne introduced her to Soto, who would provide her with marijuana and methamphetamine at his house whenever she asked. On December 5, 2011, Layne asked Youdath to help him rob a girl who owed Soto from a previous drug transaction.

Around 3 a.m. on December 6, 2011, Layne, armed with a rifle, Youdath, and another individual robbed Nicole Autrey at her residence.- They took a tattoo gun case, laptops, a black lock case, a cell phone, keys, an amplifier, and an Xbox. They returned to Layne’s house. In the morning, Layne texted Soto: “Can I come out? I got shit for you. Very important shit.” Later that morning, Youdath and Layne’s girlfriend, Harley Boyden, dropped Layne off at Soto’s house and Layne gave him Autrey’s stolen items. You-[973]*973dath went back to her dorm, but she expected Layne to pick her up around 1 or 2 that afternoon to smoke methamphetamine.

In the early afternoon, Layne called Soto to tell him he wanted to kill Freel. Layne wanted to bring Freel over to Soto’s residence to kill him with a .45 caliber pistol that Soto kept at his residence. At 2:56 p.m., Layne texted Soto: “I need him under boss please.” Soto texted back: “W C EL. DiABlO.” At about 3:06 p.m., Layne texted Soto back: “Let me do it boss.” Thirty seconds later, Soto again responded: “W C EL. DiABlO.”

Around the same time, Freel and his girlfriend Langdon drove to Layne’s residence. Freel went inside to speak with Layne, and Langdon stayed in her car. Langdon thought Freel was just going inside to purchase marijuana. Layne’s girlfriend, Boyden, testified that Freel seemed high on methamphetamine and kept begging Layne to help him find a gun because the police were after him. Freel came out to the car to ask Langdon for money to buy a gun. She refused, they argued about it, and ultimately they drove back to their own apartment.

Freel took a suitcase out of the trunk and started walking toward his own apartment when Layne pulled up behind their car. Freel leaned into Layne’s passenger window, talked to him for a while, and then got in Layne’s car. They pulled up next to Langdon who was still in her car. Freel told her he loved her, he would be right back, and eveiything was going to be okay. At 3:24 p.m., Youdath sent Layne a text saying she was waiting on him at her dorm.

Layne and Freel arrived at Soto’s residence. Freel started talking, and Soto punched him in the face because Freel had “no idea what he’s saying.” Soto gave Layne the .45 pistol and told Layne “he didn’t want this to happen on his properly, and he didn’t want to know anything about it.” Layne and Freel left in Layne’s vehicle.

At 3:46 p.m., Freel called Langdon and sounded irritated. He told her Layne and he were on their way back and asked if she could pick him up from Layne’s house. She heard Layne in the background telling Freel to tell Langdon to “kiss his ass.” Freel asked Layne if Langdon could pick him up from where they were out in the country. Layne refused, so Freel once again said he loved [974]*974her, they needed to go to Layne’s, and they were on their way. That was the last time Langdon talked to Freel.

Sometime after 4 p.m., Layne arrived to pick up Youdath at her dorm. Youdath could tell something was wrong with him, and he told her that he “messed up real bad.” He told her to reach under the seat. She complied and pulled out a black handgun. Youdath asked why he had the gun, and Layne told her that the guy he used to rob houses with “had his name in his mouth” and “he took care of it.” Youdath asked for more details and Layne explained he took Freel to Soto’s house where Soto punched him in the face and gave Layne a gun. Then Layne drove Freel to a dirt road, told him to get out, and shot him.

When Layne and Youdath arrived at Layne’s residence, Langdon was parked out front in her car. Layne told her he dropped Freel off at his house or at Walmart. Later Layne drove Youdath and two of his friends out to see the body to prove that he had actually killed Freel. The time was around 5:30 p.m. Layne took Freel’s backpack and put it in the car, and one of his friends took Freel’s wallet.

Sometime around 9 p.m., Soto picked up Ashley Wiight and drove her back to his trailer. Wright testified that Soto told her that “some stuff was going on, that he gave [Layne] his baby, and he was gonna shoot somebody.” She knew Soto often referred to his gun as his “baby.” Wright said she did not think Layne would do that, and Soto replied that he could tell if his gun had been fired.

After they arrived at the trailer, Layne called Soto and said he was on his way and was bringing the baby back. About 15 to 30 minutes later, Layne arrived and handed the gun to Soto. Soto did not touch the gun with his bare hands but used a bandana. Soto checked to see if it had been shot and then nodded his head yes to Wright. Soto asked Layne how he felt, and Layne replied that he felt numb. Soto patted him on. the back and told him it would get better. Layne told Soto that he took Freel on tire road, shot him, and left him there because “the guy had his name in his mouth.”

[975]*975The next morning, Freel’s body was found on a dirt road in rural Riley County, Kansas, about 3.7 miles driving distance from Soto’s residence. He was lying on bis back with his arms stretched out. No evidence of a struggle was discovered. Likewise, nothing indicated the body had been moved or dragged from a vehicle.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
349 P.3d 1256, 301 Kan. 969, 2015 Kan. LEXIS 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-soto-kan-2015.