He shot a man over $30,000 in stripper fees, police say. He’s been charged with murder

Justin Garza, 23, was gunned down early Sunday in a central Fresno Motel 6 by a man who owed $30,000 to a company that provides stripper services, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said Thursday.

The deadly shooting took place about 4 a.m. in the 4000 block of North Blackstone Avenue after Garza arrived with a woman to meet Randy Jones, 29, Dyer said.

Jones was a frequent customer of a stripper service that employed Garza, and Jones wanted to do more business. He had arrived about a half-hour earlier in a taxi and was waiting.

He took a cab to the scene, potentially because he was fresh out of prison, where the 6-foot, 3-inch, 250-pound Native American served time for multiple conviction of driving under the influence. Jones was considered a big spender because he is connected to an Indian band with a lucrative casino gaming income, according to Dyer.

When Garza and the woman arrived, Jones got out of the cab and Garza exited his vehicle.

A brief conversation followed, then Jones walked back to the taxi, returned, and after a few more words, shot Garza multiple times, said the chief, who added that video cameras captured it all.

“Jones was there to gain services,” Dyer said. “Garza was to provide the services. He was also there to collect $30,000 for past services.”

After shooting Garza, Jones pointed the gun at the woman in Garza’s car before aiming the weapon at the cab driver and ordering him to take him back to his home in Friant, Dyer said. Upon arriving, the chief said, Jones pointed the handgun at the cabbie again and pulled the trigger. It clicked on an empty chamber.

“Call police, and I’ll kill you,” Jones said, according to Dyer, who added that the driver had been shot before. The cab driver didn’t call. He said nothing until detectives showed up to get his story.

Police initially arrested Jones on other charges, but Thursday officers booked him on one count of murder. Dyer said Jones also faces one count of attempted murder in the incident involving the cab driver, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon for pointing the gun at the woman in the car.

This story was originally published March 7, 2019 at 4:21 PM.