Standoff ends with arrest of murder suspect in Kings County

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A long standoff in Kings County ended with the arrest of a murder suspect. Ralph Waldo Jones was taken into custody on Thursday. Meanwhile, deputies continue to search for another suspected killer.

A neighbor captured video of a SWAT team arresting Ralph Waldo Jones at a home in Hanford. Kings County deputies say he's one of two suspects in the murder of Brandon Mims. It took six months and a two and half hour standoff to finally get Jones into custody.

"Hours and hours of orders and attempting to call into the residence," said Dave Putnam, who is the assistant sheriff, "loud speaker announcements and every means possible to try to get Mr. Jones to come out."

Putnam says Jones helped carry out the murder. Mims was shot to death and his body was discovered in a slough back in February. Investigators believe Rolando Thomas pulled the trigger but they haven't been able to find him.

"Through good investigative work, through witness statements, through evidence obtained at the scene, these two were identified as suspects in the case," Putnam said.

Earlier this year, Zach Currin, a friend of the victim, talked with Action news. He said Mims was an outgoing guy who always made people laugh, "Very athletic, very talented and it's a shame that he's gone," he said.

As for a motive, Investigators believe it had something to do with drugs and a relationship gone bad between the suspects and Mims.

Putnam said, "We want to bring justice for him and his family and obviously, we need to talk with Rolando Thomas."

Thomas is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Kings County Sheriff's Office.