Body cam captures New York murder suspect’s Jacksonville arrest

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Guns are drawn as body camera video shows Claudia Banton getting out of the passenger side of a car during a traffic stop on North Main Street in November.

Banton, 42, has been extradited to New York City to face criminal charges, including murder.

“Claudia, walk straight to me with your hands up! Don’t do nothing stupid or I will shoot you, do you understand?” an officer is heard saying.

Slowly and calmly, Banton walks over to the officer with her hands up. The officer then puts Banton’s hands behind her back and wraps handcuffs around her wrists.

“She recognized that she had been caught, explained News4JAX crime and safety expert Kent Jefferson. “She fully cooperated. She knew that her time was up.”

Investigators say Banton had been on the run since August.

Authorities released a video showing Banton getting out of a car while holding her arm behind her back. Investigators said it shows her walking up to a woman named Delia Johnson, and that Banton pointed a gun at her, shooting Johnson execution-style.

The U.S. Marshalls learned she was in Jacksonville, ultimately finding her on the Northside last month.

“Over 90% of the time, police are going to find the person,” said Jefferson.

According to her arrest report, Banton had an alias. An officer in the video could be seen looking at her identification.

“Alias?” the officer asks.

“No, that’s my last name. My previous marriage name,” Banton responds.

The body camera showed Banton’s driver’s license was from Georgia with the name Claudia Johnson.

The officer shows a fellow officer.

“This is a married name, this that and the other, but it’s Claudia Banton,” the officer says.

A woman that was with Banton in the car at the time of her arrest was not arrested. It’s unclear what her involvement was with Banton.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.