A Kansas man accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife during a confrontation had a documented history of abuse, according to court records. Joshua Orlando, 29, of Wichita, faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Ivy Unruh, 25.
The shooting occurred on the morning of April 17 at an apartment building, as reported by lawandcrime.com. Police responded to a 911 call shortly after 8 a.m. and found Unruh with a gunshot wound to her upper body. A firearm was recovered at the scene. Unruh was transported to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries days later.
Authorities allege that Orlando himself placed the 911 call. In the recording, he stated, “My wife and I got into a fight. I came to drop some stuff off and she got really mad that I was there. We were arguing and she hit me. I thought she was going to swing again with … I shot her, I shot her.”
When officers arrived, they handcuffed Orlando, but he urged them to help Unruh. “I know she didn’t mean to hurt me,” he said, according to court filings.
Investigators noted that Unruh was found lying on her back, clutching a plastic bag containing a Nintendo Switch gaming console. The charging document highlights this detail.
History of Abuse Revealed
The apartment’s leasing agent provided a statement to investigators, alleging that when Unruh rented the unit, she expressed a desire to escape her abusive ex-partner and was particularly interested in the building’s security features. The agent also noted that Unruh did not want her former landlord contacted because that person was a friend of her ex.
In August 2025, Unruh filed for divorce. According to records cited by KWCH, she sought to keep the gaming console while Orlando would retain his pistol.
Unruh’s supervisor at PBS Kansas, where she worked as a broadcast engineer, told law enforcement that the victim had separated from her spouse due to verbal and physical abuse. The supervisor reported seeing bruises on Unruh both in photographs and in person.
Orlando told police that the impending divorce stemmed from multiple issues, including his belief that Unruh had been unfaithful.
Details of the Shooting
On the day of the incident, Orlando planned to leave some of Unruh’s belongings at her door. However, she waited at the foot of the stairs with the Nintendo Switch in a bag, according to Orlando’s statements to police. He said he handed over the console, and a final argument ensued. Unruh allegedly “swung the bag with the Nintendo and struck him on the left side of his face.”
Orlando then pulled out his handgun, used his left arm to cover his face, and “blind fired” a single round, according to the affidavit.
Orlando remains in custody, charged with intentional and premeditated first-degree murder.
