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UPDATE: Nephew Says He's Innocent In Herald Homicide; Victim Identified

HERALD (CBS13) - Sacramento County sheriff's detectives arrested the nephew of a 50-year-old man killed in Herald, two days after the suspect called 911 to report the murder.

Sgt. Jason Ramos said Jerry King, 31, was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and booked into the Sacramento County Jail on a charge of murder.

"I gave them everything that I knew, all the evidence to try to find who did this, and now they're turning it and saying I'm the one who did it," said Jerry King.

King told CBS13 he did not kill his uncle Willis Griffin.

"I did not do this to my uncle. I love my uncle with all my heart, and I want them to find who did this," said King.

Griffin was found shot to death in the 13000 block of Purvis Road on Sunday. He was visiting King and the victim's sister, who both live at the home, from out of town.

"For them to think I did this to my own family, he raised me, pretty much was around my whole life, taught me how to ride dirt bikes, everything," said King.

Around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, King reported hearing gunshots and a gray truck drive off, and then seeing Griffin dead on the driveway with a dirt bike next to him.

But investigators have no doubt King pulled the trigger.

"There are a number of things here that led us to arrest him," said Ramos. "The info he gave us was inconsistent with our investigation."

The following afternoon, after an extensive search of the property, a sheriff's K9 unit located a firearm hidden in some brush in the rear portion of the residence, Ramos said. Detectives believe that it is the firearm used to shoot Griffin.

"Investigator said that he found the gun and my fingerprints and stuff were on it, but me and my uncle had been in the backyard shooting that gun and I told them all that," said King.

Additional investigation discovered there was a strained family relationship between victim and King, and that's the motive for the shooting, Ramos said.

"I just hope that they honestly find the person who did this," said King. "I asked the investigators that night not to stop until they do, at least for justice for my uncle."

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