Drug deal-turned-murder suspect turns self in, confesses

The suspect in a drug deal-turned-murder has turned himself in, and now Jacksonville Police say he has confessed.

JSO was first called to West State Street last Sunday to reports of a traffic crash and shots fired.

“Police officers arrived and found the victim inside his vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds,” says JSO Assistant Chief Chris Butler.

The victim, Johnathan Youngblood, later died. JSO’s investigation led them to learn Youngblood had been waiting outside of a friend’s home when he was approached by a third person, who police say is 23-year-old Rayvon Sanders, for a drug deal.

“While the victim was in the process of selling drugs, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot the victim multiple times,” Butler says.

He says Youngblood was able to drive away, but Sanders followed while continuing to fire his gun. Youngblood crashed in to a utility pole, at which point JSO says Sanders took the victim’s watch and fled.

On Saturday, Sanders turned himself in to police and confessed to the murder.