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Man sentenced to 35 years for February 2022 shooting death at South Austin gas station

Sevon Randle, 21, pleaded guilty to murder in the death of 24-year-old Jacob Turner.

AUSTIN, Texas — A man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for a February 2022 murder at a gas station in South Austin.

Editor's note: The above video is from previous reporting.

Sevon Randle, 21, pleaded guilty to the murder of 24-year-old Jacob Turner, according to court documents. Randle had initially been charged with capital murder but was convicted of a lesser charge.

The incident happened on Feb. 23, 2022, at a Murphy gas station near 710 E. Ben White Blvd., next to a Walmart. 

Officers responded to a call reporting the incident just after 5 p.m., according to the Austin Police Department (APD). The caller said they heard gunshots and that a man was seen lying on the ground near one of the gas pumps. Witnesses reported seeing a silver or gray four-door sedan speeding off toward the frontage road of East Ben White.

Officers arrived on the scene and found a man, identified as Turner, with a gunshot wound to the chest and began life-saving measures. Turner was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:19 p.m. His death was ruled a homicide by gunshot wounds.

Credit: Austin Police Department
Sevon Herman Randle, 19

According to an arrest warrant in the case, the murder happened during a drug deal between Randle and Turner where Randle was looking to purchase oxycodone pills from Turner. Randle reportedly offered a low estimate, which Turner declined. 

Randle then pulled out a handgun and demanded Turner hand over the pills. In an attempt to defuse the situation, Turner put his hand up. Randle then shot and killed him.

Randle, a passenger in the car, then told the driver to "take off." Randle and his friend, who spoke with authorities regarding the incident, abandoned the Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot of the Bel-Air Motel on 3400 S. Congress Ave. The two then left.

Investigators connected Randle with the crime through his friend, whom police identified via call logs on Turner's phone. His friend was first charged with the murder after investigators spoke with the owner of the Mercedes that Randle and his friend had borrowed. 

Through speaking with the first suspect, investigators concluded it was Randle and not his friend who had shot and killed Turner, although Randle's friend had originally lied, saying he was not there when Turner was killed. 

A criminal history check on Randle found that he had arrests in 2021 for harboring a runaway child, resisting arrest, search or transport, and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

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