$5k reward remains for info leading to an arrest/indictment in 2020 murder of Jena man

JENA, La. (KARD/KTVE)— Leon Turner, 44, was working under the hood of his car when out of nowhere several gunmen showed up and opened fire in what investigators describe as an “ambush-style” killing, leaving Turner dead and the killers on the loose.

“I would ask them why did you take my brother’s life the way you took his life, with his back turned, in his yard, minding his business? Don’t nobody deserve to get killed the way they killed my brother”, said Turner’s sister Minia Goven.

Turner was a a son, brother, friend, father and what some describe as the neighborhood handyman. “Work on some of anything, he could take it apart and put it back together”, said Betty Turner, Leon’s mother.

That’s exactly what he was doing when he was murdered. In the late evening hours of April 21, 2020, Leon was working under the hood of his car on Church Street. He was shot twice and died on the scene. Witnesses told investigators they saw a suspect running away from the area. He was about 5’10, wearing a camouflaged-style pullover, and black pants.

“He never looked at me that day, never, never looked me in the eye that day. Didn’t even turn his head to look at me. I asked myself well Lord, what you trying to tell me?”, his mother explained.

According to his family, something had been brewing for months. Just a week before the murder, Leon was shot at while outside his mother’s home, but was unharmed. “A week before, a week before the actual killing, they shot at him in my front yard, in the yard. Where you home? Yes, and the kids were home too”, said Betty.

Turner loved his kids deeply. In fact, he had full custody of his children. “All they knew was they daddy. They was always with him. Whenever you seen him, you saw him and his kids together. He loved his kids”, said Minia.

The children also loved there father; so much that his eleven-year old son felt he couldn’t live without him. “They not only took my brother, they took my nephew because my nephew committed suicide, missing his dad”, Turner’s sister continued.

Do you have information on Turner’s murder. If so, call Crime Stoppers at North Delta at 318-388-CASH with any information on the case.

Minia went on to say, “You can’t hide under wool forever, God gone bring it to light and my brother’s justice is going to be served. It’s coming.”

A $5,000 cash reward is available to anyone who can help close this case.