An Arizona man was charged with first-degree murder on Friday after allegedly killing his landlord after a rent dispute, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Turner, Jr., 31, is accused of murdering landlord Joshua Blake earlier this summer. Turner lived at Blake’s residence in Golden Valley when tensions eventually escalated over Turner’s overdue rent.
The two men argued about Turner not paying rent shortly before Blake went missing Aug. 3. Blake’s family reported him missing Aug. 31.
The landlord also threatened to report Turner for being involved in a shooting that took place on his property in June. Authorities said Blake had originally taken the blame for the shooting.
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After Blake disappeared, authorities say Turner tried to notarize a bill of sale as an attempt to take ownership of Blake’s home.
The suspect was also found in possession of Blake’s vehicle during an arrest Sept. 1, when police found a firearm and illegal narcotics in the car during a traffic stop. The firearm violated Turner’s probation terms.
Turner was booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility shortly after the arrest, where he has been held since.
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Blake’s body was found buried in an abandoned property Oct. 26. His remains were positively identified a day later, but the cause of death is still unknown.
Officials identified that Hunter McGuire, 26, was another suspect in Blake’s shooting. McGuire committed suicide Oct. 21 after a pursuit with law enforcement, who found he was connected with “multiple homicides.”
The investigation is still ongoing, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine Blake’s cause of death.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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