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Manhunt ends as Suffolk murder suspect turns himself in

John Harris surrendered himself at Suffolk Police headquarters on Tuesday. He's accused of killing Delyna Hall over the weekend.

SUFFOLK, Va. — A man charged with the murder of a woman in Suffolk has turned himself in, police said.

31-year-old John Harris surrendered himself at Suffolk Police headquarters on Tuesday. He is currently being held without bond at Western Tidewater Regional Jail.

Suffolk police say officers responded to a call about shots fired in the 1000 block of Nansemond Parkway early Sunday morning. When first responders arrived, they found 24-year-old Delyna Hall shot and killed inside the home.

Suffolk Police Chief Al Chandler said his department learned Hall went out Saturday night to spend time with friends. When she returned home with her friend early Sunday morning, that's when "she was met with an intruder inside her residence," according to Chandler.

That intruder was allegedly Harris, who is Hall's ex-boyfriend. Police said Harris shot Hall after a quick confrontation. She died on the scene.

Credit: Suffolk PD
John Dontrel Harris

Investigators said Harris then stabbed Hall's friend, who survived. 

"He needs to answer for what he did," said Chandler said, before Harris was taken into custody. "This was a violent encounter inside the home and he did use a firearm and that firearm has not yet been recovered. So, therefore, we assume he still has it."

"Domestic violence is real and domestic violence is dangerous. Any citizen having knowledge of a person dealing with domestic violence, it is your responsibility to make that known, to report those acts, because when things get out of hand, we have terrible situations," said Chandler. "What we have now is two families that are shattered on violence that didn't have to happen."

Chandler described Hall as a woman loved by many in the neighborhood and her family. Hall's grandfather told 13News Now that Hall was a single mom to a young child and was studying to become a nurse.

The murder remains under investigation. If you know anything that can help detectives, you're asked to contact the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or submit a tip through the p3tips app. You can also call the police station directly at (757) 923-2350. You may remain anonymous.

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