TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Shawnee County judge has delivered the prison sentence for a man who raped and killed a five-year-old Topeka girl in 2023.
The judge sentenced Mickel Cherry, 27, of Topeka to consecutive life sentences without parole for 50 years for both charges on Tuesday, July 15. His sentence comes after he pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree and rape last year in the death of Zoey Felix.
27 News talked to Zoey’s father, Ezekiel (Zeke) Felix, on July 14 during the first day of Cherry’s sentencing proceedings. He called for the harshest punishment available for his daughter’s killer in an emotional interview at the Shawnee County Courthouse.
“To know that I won’t be able to see another birthday, another Christmas, or anything like that,” Ezekiel Felix said. “They took the privilege from me, being a father.”
‘They are jumping for their lives’: Kansas pigs leap to freedom, find new homes
Cherry’s defense painted both Cherry and Zoey Felix as products of a “failed system.” The defense pointed to weaknesses within the Kansas Department of Children & Families (DCF) and Cherry’s hometown in Texas.
“I’m going to say that Mickel experienced almost imprisonment as a child and sure, a lot of people experience trauma when they’re younger, but they often have one adult or a stable placement that helps them, and it often makes a huge difference when you have a caring adult and Mickel never had that,” said Dr. Beth Robinson, a counselor who worked with Cherry in the Texas Child Protective Services system.
Zoey Felix’s family and friends are choosing to move forward and cherish the memories they have of her. They talked with 27 News during and after the sentencing, sharing their thoughts on the case and aftermath of Zoey Felix’s death.
“She was a very outgoing little girl,” said Kaitlyn Slusser, a family friend. “Not a personality I see a lot. She wasn’t scared of much anyone.”
“Beautiful, the most charming, loving, caring, always outspoken, always laughing and playing, she wanted to make friends, she was always loved,” Ezekiel Felix said.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
A man who raped and killed a Topeka five-year-old in 2023 received his sentence on July 15, 2025.
Mickel Cherry pleaded guilty to rape and murder in connection to the death of five-year-old Zoey Felix in 2024. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections)
Shawnee County Sheriff enters ‘task force model’ partnership with ICE
Previous reporting
Topeka police responded just before 6 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2023 to a gas station near Southeast 29th Street and Southeast California Avenue regarding a medical incident. Police arriving at the scene found a child, later identified as Felix, suffering from life-threatening injuries. She went to a nearby hospital where she later died.
Police arrested Cherry shortly after Zoey Felix’s death on charges of first-degree murder and rape. Her death marked the 26th homicide case of 2023 which would later be recognized for having the highest number of homicide cases in the city’s history.
The Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office later filed charges against Cherry on Oct. 5, 2023 for his alleged role in Felix’s death. The office initially charged Cherry with capital murder, which carried with it the possibility of the death penalty.
Cherry pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree murder and rape on Dec. 13, 2024. Prosecutors dismissed the charge of capital murder.
‘These decisions are life or death’: Topeka food bank talks impact of SNAP cuts
Zoey Felix was living at a homeless camp in Topeka after being kicked out of her home shortly before her death. Cherry reportedly suffocated her with a pillow in a tent at the camp, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Zoey Felix’s death sent shockwaves through not just the Topeka community but also the State of Kansas as people called for change within the DCF. Organizers held a “March 4 Zoey” in the days after her death in downtown Topeka, a local bar held a memorial ride in her memory and Topeka Public Schools planted a tree dedicated to her.
Photos of five-year-old Zoey Felix shared with 27 News. Felix died in early October at a local hospital with a local man, Mickel Cherry, being accused of causing her death.
The DCF later released the case summary for Zoey Felix, detailing how her family declined state-offered services. 27 News revisited the events leading up to her death and spoke with neighbors one year after Zoey Felix died.
Police release name after gunshot victim dies at Topeka hospital
For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf
