Suspect in slaying gives up after one-hour standoff

Jace Radke

Wednesday, July 11, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

A man wanted in connection with the slaying of a 21-year-old Henderson woman surrendered to authorities after a one-hour standoff with Henderson and North Las Vegas Police Tuesday night.

James Jeff Turner Jr., 34, was arrested about 8 p.m. at a North Las Vegas apartment complex on charges of murder and robbery in connection with the Friday night slaying of Miranda L. Johnson.

The investigation led detectives to believe that Turner was at the Desert Palms North apartments, 1001 E. Carey Ave., near Losee Road, Henderson Police spokesman Officer Terry Bowler said.

The Henderson Police special response team and the North Las Vegas SWAT team responded to the complex, and police negotiators contacted Turner, Bowler said. Turner surrendered peacefully after about an hour of negotiation, Bowler said.

No one was injured during the standoff, and Turner was booked into the Henderson Jail.

Johnson, 21, was found dead in her apartment at the Sienna Villas complex near Lake Mead Drive and Eastern Avenue about 8 p.m. Friday. A neighbor, who went to check on Johnson after hearing a gunshot and witnessing three men leave her apartment, discovered the victim's body and called police.

Johnson's 3-week-old baby boy was in the apartment at the time of the shooting, but he was not harmed, police said.

Police served a search warrant at Turner's North Las Vegas home Sunday. Police said they found clothing and a car consistent with what witnesses described seeing the night Johnson was killed. A warrant was issued for his arrest Tuesday afternoon.

Turner was being sought as the primary suspect in the case and was considered armed and dangerous, police said. Police have only vague descriptions of the other two men seen leaving Johnson's apartment, describing them only as having dark complexions and possibly being in their 20s.

The slaying was the sixth in Henderson this year. There were eight in all of 2000.

Anyone with information about the crime can call Secret Witness at 385-5555 or the Henderson Crime Information Hotline at 565-2009.