FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Fresno Police say a 29-year-old client who owed thousands to an exotic dancer company was arrested Thursday for murder.
On Sunday, March 3, 2019, 29-year-old Randy Jones was meeting Justin Garza at the Motel 6 on Blackstone.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says Jones was in the hole for $30,000 for exotic dancers.
It was 3:30 in the morning, and Garza, a bodyguard at the stripper company was attempting to collect money for his boss, and arrange for another stripper as Jones had requested.
Dyer says surveillance video clinched the arrest, showing a taxi with Jones inside pull up to the Motel 6, about a half-hour before Garza arrived, with another woman inside his vehicle.
Dyer says Jones got out of the cab and Garza exited his vehicle.
Video shows the two speaking, then Jones walking back to the taxi, returning moments later and shooting Garza, then pointing the gun at the woman in Garza’s car.
Jones aimed his gun at the taxi driver and ordered him to take him to his residence near Friant.
Upon arrival, Jones put a gun to the the taxi driver’s head and pulled the trigger – but it didn’t go off.
He then threatened the taxi driver, telling him “call police, and I’ll kill you.”
Chief Dyer said the taxi driver had been shot before, feared for his life, and did not call police.
When detectives contacted him, he finally shared the story.
Dyer said Jones has a prior history of crime, including domestic violence, DUI and firearms offenses.
Police first arrested Jones on other charges, but with the taxi driver’s account they were able to arrest Jones for Garza’s murder on Thursday.
Jones was booked on one count of murder, one count of attempted murder for firing at the taxi driver, a kidnapping charge for taking the taxi driver against his will, and a count of assault with a deadly weapon for pointing his gun at the woman in Garza’s car.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
