Joshua Orlando, 29, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of his ex-wife, Ivy Unruh, 25, outside her Wichita, Kansas, apartment on April 17. The incident occurred after an argument over a Nintendo Switch. Orlando, a retired Marine, admitted to shooting Unruh, a PBS engineer and fellow Marine veteran, in the head as she left for work.
Court documents indicate Orlando had gone to Unruh's apartment to return a bag of her belongings. Instead of leaving the bag at her door as planned, he waited for her. An argument ensued when Orlando questioned why Unruh did not want to see him in person. Orlando claimed Unruh struck him in the side of the head with the Nintendo Switch during the altercation.
He told police that the impact triggered memories of a previous fight in January 2025, during which he alleged Unruh had hit him with a replica Zelda sword. Orlando stated that after Unruh struck him with the Switch, he retrieved his handgun and "blind fired" while shielding his face. The firearm, a Sig Sauer P365 9mm pistol, was found near Unruh's body.
Video footage from Unruh's doorbell camera showed her leaving her apartment just 37 seconds before the gunshot. Orlando subsequently called 911, stating, "My wife and I got into a fight. She hit me with a... I shot her, I shot her." He explained that he had gone to drop off items and that Unruh became angry, leading to the argument and his claim of self-defense.
Unruh's family described her as a victim of domestic violence who had the courage to leave a dangerous situation. They remembered her as an honorable and selfless Marine who was also a dedicated daughter, sister, and friend. Following her death, Unruh was an organ donor, with her family reporting that she saved six lives.
Victor Hogstrom, president of PBS Kansas, where Unruh worked, expressed devastation over her death, remembering her as a motivated, trustworthy, intelligent, and dependable employee.
Orlando is currently being held on a $1.5 million bond and is scheduled for sentencing in August.
