On July 13, 2023, at approximately 2:00 a.m., officers from the Tulare Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at the Valley Oak Apartment Homes, located at West Street and Cross Avenue in Tulare, California. Upon arrival, they discovered 54-year-old John White III lying on the ground with a gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
In the initial stages of the investigation, detectives identified 21-year-old James Myron Mitchell of Tipton, California, as the primary suspect in the shooting. Mitchell was considered armed and dangerous, prompting law enforcement to seek the public's assistance in locating him.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Mitchell had fled California, first traveling to the Bay Area and later to Chattanooga, Tennessee. On January 4, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Mitchell in Chattanooga. Following his arrest, Mitchell refused extradition to California, necessitating the issuance of a Governor's Warrant. On April 4, 2024, the Tulare County Sheriff's Department successfully extradited Mitchell back to Tulare County, where he was booked on murder charges related to the death of John White III.
The arrest and extradition of Mitchell were the result of coordinated efforts among the Tulare Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement officials continue to gather information to ensure justice for the victim and his family.
