A 19 yr old is found shot to death On the evening of October 18, 2013, 19-year-old Julius Vaughn, a Black / African American male, was found dead in his vehicle, which was parked near an apartment building at 23rd and Vinton Streets in Omaha, Nebraska. Responders to the scene discovered that Vaughn had been shot multiple times. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from ten bullet wounds to his head, neck, torso, and limbs. Investigators found shell casings both inside and outside the vehicle, suggesting a violent encounter.
For years, the case remained unsolved, leaving his family searching for answers.
The investigation into Julius Vaughn's death turned into a cold case that spanned seven years. A breakthrough finally came in 2020 when the Omaha Police Department's Cold Case Squad identified a suspect. A warrant was issued for Bernard Turner, then 25 years old, who had been a friend of Vaughn's. Turner was located in Arizona, where he was being held on unrelated charges. He was subsequently extradited to Omaha to face charges for Vaughn's murder.
Following his return to Omaha, Bernard Turner was charged with first-degree murder. During the trial, testimony revealed that Turner and Vaughn had been spending time together shortly before the shooting. A key witness, who was with Turner that night, testified that Turner confessed to the killing two years after the fact. The motive, as explained by the witness, was Turner's belief that Vaughn was responsible for the death of his cousin and had lied about it. Based on the evidence and testimony presented, the jury found Bernard Turner guilty of first-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Julius Vaughn.
