BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The man hunt is over for Jeremy King and the community is received recognition for a peaceful resolution, after police said an anonymous tip helped bring a man wanted for murder into custody.
Police said King led police on a chase early Tuesday morning but Thursday night just before 1 a.m. police said King finally surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody.
"This whole thing started obviously back in February of 2017, it was February, 23, when this murder happened," Sgt. McCauley of the Bakersfield Police Department said. "Kason Guyton was killed his seven year old brother at the time was also shot and we had this horrific event and this whole investigation started from there."
Sgt. McCauley said for the last two years investigators have worked endlessly in order to help bring justice for the little boy.
Police said Guyton and his seven-year-old brother B.J. were both shot while riding in the back seat of Devon Vercher's car.
Vercher is a known East Side Cripp, he was Kason's mom's boyfriend at the time.
Police said Vercher rushed both young boys to Adventist Health Hospital in Bakersfield where B.J survived but Kason did not.
From there police began the "three blind mice operation" where King and another suspect Jonathan Knight were then named people of interests.
Knight was eventually picked up during a gang sweep in December of 2017, police said he was booked on a robbery charge at the time but was later released. Until a separate drive by shooting happened recently along Remington Avenue in the Qualiwood neighborhood.
"He was arrested on the Remington shooting, he was involved in that as far as one of the shooters in that incident," Sgt. McCauley said.
No one was hurt during the Remington shooting, Knight was arrested and taken into custody and the Kern County Grand Jury already had Knight on their list of indictments for Kason Guyton's murder, along with Jeremy King.
Police said Tuesday morning, officials almost got King into custody too, but he got away.
"They did see him in a car with a female, they were able to get behind the car eventually but the car had done several quick turns going through there. By the time they got behind the car, the car stopped but he wasn't in the car anymore."
When police were unsuccessful Tuesday, on Wednesday afternoon Police Chief Lyle Martin turned to the community for help, asking for someone to turn King in and offered a $10,000 reward.
Police said they finally received an anonymous tip.
"The community came through they were able to provide information to law enforcement, they were able to put them in the right direction."
Police said the caller wanted to stay anonymous and did not want the reward.
The caller's tip led police Hadar Road near South H Street.
Witnesses told 23ABC News it was just after midnight when King finally came out and surrendered.
There are no other suspects wanted in connection to the murder of Kason Guyton at this time, but now they can begin the justice process.
"There's still a lot of work to be done here with the trial that is going to go on here and making sure that all of that evidence is collected and presented in the best possible manner, to hold Mr.King and and Mr.Knight responsible for this terrible murder."
Jeremy King is scheduled to be in court on Monday at 8 a.m.
Jonathan Knight is due back in court Wednesday.
Both men are facing numerous charges including murder in connection to Kason Guyton's murder.
