Arizona Man Allegedly Killed His Missing Landlord Over Rent Dispute

An Arizona tenant was arrested after he allegedly murdered his landlord during a dispute about rent, authorities said.

Michael Turner Jr., 31, faces a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 42-year-old Joshua William-James Blake.

According to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, Blake’s family reported him missing on Aug. 31 but he had not been heard from or seen for nearly a month prior.

The sheriff’s office said determined Turner and a second suspect, Hunter McGuire, 26, “had both allegedly shot and killed Joshua Blake” and his “body was then buried on an abandoned property located a short distance from where McGuire was living.”

At the time of the alleged homicide, Turner was staying in the victim’s home. “Just days before Blake’s disappearance, there had been an argument between the two over non-payment of rent and possible eviction,” the sheriff’s office said.

Officials said before the victim was murdered, he allegedly took the blame for Turner shooting a person on June 8 and “threatened to go to the police to report Turner Jr. being the actual shooter.”

After Blake disappeared on Aug. 3, Turner attempted to notarize a bill of sale and take possession of the victim’s home, authorities claimed.

Police said they arrested Turner in the victim’s vehicle on Sept. 1 and found him illegally in possession of a firearm as well as narcotics.

He was booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility.

On Oct. 25, detectives executed a search warrant on a property and found human remains later identified as Blake, the sheriff’s office said.

Turner now also faces a first-degree murder charge.

McGuire, the second suspect in Blake’s homicide, committed suicide on Oct. 21. He was wanted for multiple homicides in Arizona and Nevada.