Murder trial begins for Cherokee County teen

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) -- The murder trial of a 19-year-old Cherokee County man is under way in Tahlequah.<br/><br/>Tullie Johnson junior is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Rita Starr Garcia.

Tuesday, November 8th 2005, 12:54 pm

By: News On 6

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) -- The murder trial of a 19-year-old Cherokee County man is under way in Tahlequah.

Tullie Johnson junior is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Rita Starr Garcia. Prosecutors say Johnson killed Garcia and stole her car.

Police say Johnson was arrested in June 2004 after leading police to Garcia's body that was dumped off a county road about five miles southwest of Tahlequah. The woman had been reported missing several days earlier by her son and her ex-husband.