Teen From 2010 Murder To Be Sentenced

A teen from Assaria will be sentenced in September for the 2010 shooting death of his young stepbrother.

Ryan Velez, now 18-years-old, was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday for second-degree murder. Instead, he will be sentenced in September.

Velez, who was 14-years-old at the time, shot and killed 9-year-old Kaden Harper in June of 2010 at their rural Saline County home near Assaria. Prosecutors say the boys had been arguing over doing chores. Kaden had just finished third grade at Southeast of Saline School.

Velez was charged as an adult, and was initially charged with first degree murder in the case. In 2011 he plead guilty to second degree murder charges. He was sent to the state psychiatric hospital in Larned, where at the time it was said he could be there for up to 10 years. He is currently in the Saline County Jail.

Velez will be sentenced on Monday, September 22nd, at 1:30 in the afternoon.