In the afternoon hours of a Tuesday in Tucson, Arizona, the life of 34-year-old Ruben Lemon was brought to a violent and tragic end. On February 5, 2019, Lemon, a Black male, was fatally shot in the midtown area, near the intersection of North Dodge Boulevard and East Fairmount Street. The incident unfolded shortly after 2:00 p.m. when residents in the vicinity were startled by the sound of gunfire, prompting numerous calls to 911.
When Tucson Police officers arrived at the scene, they
discovered Lemon lying in the roadway with evident signs of multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation was handled by the Tucson Police Department's Gang Unit, although it was later determined that the homicide was not gang-related.
The investigation into Ruben Lemon's death quickly led to a suspect. Investigators reported that the incident began with a pursuit, during which 34-year-old James Harlen Jones, driving an SUV, followed Lemon. The chase culminated in Jones striking Lemon with his vehicle before exiting the SUV and shooting him multiple times. Jones then fled the scene, leaving Lemon to die in the street.
Approximately one week after the shooting, on February 11, 2019, Tucson Police arrested James Harlen Jones in connection with the murder. He was subsequently booked into the Pima County Jail and charged with first-degree murder, as well as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a vehicle. In December 2021, Jones pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. On March 10, 2022, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the killing of Ruben Lemon.
