Turkey Leg Hut Founder Cleared of Kidnapping Case Charges
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Grand jury found insufficient evidence and declined to prosecute Holmes on hindering apprehension charges related to alleged kidnapping suspect harboring.
- Holmes maintained she didn't know suspect was wanted; her attorney argued police failed to prove knowledge of his fugitive status.
- Turkey Leg Hut restaurant closed November 2024 amid financial troubles; Holmes hints at potential brand revival after legal clearance.
Grand Jury Finds Insufficient Evidence
Nakia Holmes, co-owner of Turkey Leg Hut, has been cleared after a Harris County grand jury declined to move forward with charges against her, returning a no-bill on April 10 after finding insufficient evidence. The decision ends a case that began in October 2025, when Holmes was arrested on a felony charge of hindering apprehension.
Investigators had alleged that she helped 36-year-old Johnathan Saizon, a man wanted in connection with an aggravated kidnapping and assault case, avoid arrest at her Cypress home. According to authorities at the time, officers believed Saizon had been staying at Holmes' property after allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, assaulting her with a tire iron, and holding her against her will for several hours.
The October Arrest and Allegations
According to investigators, deputies received information that Saizon was staying at Holmes' residence in west Harris County. During a surveillance operation, authorities stopped a vehicle carrying Holmes and Saizon's mother and questioned whether anyone remained inside the home. Holmes reportedly told deputies the house was empty.
However, law enforcement later observed Saizon fleeing from the residence through a back exit before he was apprehended nearby. Holmes was subsequently charged with hindering apprehension of a known felon, though officials clarified she was not accused of participating in the alleged violent crimes. After her court appearance, Holmes's attorney said police haven't proven that she knew Saizon was wanted. "We are confident that when all this plays out, she will be found innocent of all the charges and will be exonerated," attorney Patrick Ngwolo said.
Restaurant Empire in Turmoil
What started as a pop-up across from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2015 turned into a full-blown cultural landmark when co-founders Nakia Holmes and her then-husband Lyndell "Lynn" Price opened their brick-and-mortar location on Almeda Road two years later. The food itself was attention-grabbing—massive turkey legs glazed in liquor or stuffed with seafood pasta—but the real draw was the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the Turkey Leg Hut restaurant closed its doors in November 2024. And while lease and financial issues were the cause, things got worse for the founder, Nakia Holmes. Holmes' ex-husband, Lyndell "Lynn" Price, is being tried next month on federal arson charges involving a 2020 fire and explosion at another restaurant.
Looking Toward the Future
Holmes expressed relief following the grand jury's decision, sharing her thoughts on social media. "Today, a grand jury returned a no-bill after reviewing the evidence," she wrote. "What was said about me didn't always match the truth, but I stayed quiet, complied, and trusted the process." She continued: "Now the truth has spoken. Thank you to everyone who stood by me. I'm with clarity, strength, and purpose."
What comes next for the brand is still an open question, though Holmes has been offering clues. In March she posted a reel showing branded trucks and equipment in storage, with a caption that read more like a promise than a farewell. The cleared charges provide Holmes with a fresh start, though whether that includes reviving the Turkey Leg Hut remains to be seen.