2 charged with selling guns, drugs at Durham tire store where killings occurred

Two men face federal drug and gun charges after reportedly selling guns and drugs out of a Geer Street tire store in Durham where three people were killed in recent years.

John Russell Turner Jr., 47, and Dustin James Tuck, 20, were arrested Nov. 1 on charges that include disposing a firearm to a felon, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number and distributing marijuana, according to federal court documents.

At the time of the sales, between Aug. 29 and Oct. 4, the men were both employed by JT Tire shop. Turner is the son and namesake of one of the co-owners.

The charges follow a Durham Police Department informant making nine gun purchases from one or both of the men, according to a search warrant. Marijuana was sold during the last four transactions, the search warrant states.

All of the transactions took place in a parking lot area at JT Tires, the warrant states.

The men sold the guns to the informant even though they knew he was a convicted felon who wasn’t allowed to have a firearm, the warrant states. The search warrant was to search the JT Tire property, at 2202 E. Geer St., but no items were seized, the warrant states.

Michael Maxwell, co-owner of the tire store, said he and the other owner, Turner’s father, didn’t know anything about the alleged sale of drugs and guns.

“We had no earthly idea,” Maxwell said. “It is a complete shock.”

Maxwell said the two men no longer work for the store.

Turner was released from the Durham County jail on a $10,000 unsecured bond, and Tuck on a promise to return to court.

Fatal shootings

In 2012, a man, who was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity, was charged with killing two people and shooting two others during a robbery at the tire store. Turner’s father was shot during the incident.

In 2015, police charged Rebekah Turner Maxwell, 38, with first-degree murder in the death of her mother, Betty Rice Turner, 62 ,in a shooting at the store. Maxwell pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2016.

This story was originally published November 21, 2018 at 2:27 PM with the headline "2 charged with selling guns, drugs at Durham tire store where killings occurred."