In an unexpected turn of events, Michael Turney has been cleared of all murder charges stemming from the alleged 2001 passing of his stepdaughter Alissa Turney, who was then 17 years old.
The resolution of this ongoing enigma raises more questions than it answers, reverberating across the halls of justice.
Getting Michael Turney Arrested
On August 20, 2020, Michael Turney was imprisoned after a spectacular turn of events.
Investigators explored the mystery surrounding Alissa Turney’s disappearance, which set the wheels of change in motion in this puzzling case.
What happened to Alissa Turney?
On May 17, 2001, student Alissa Turney of Paradise Valley High School vanished. As her corpse was never found, the ominous shadow of her disappearance cast a wide net, igniting suspicion and grief for more than two decades.
Alissa’s younger half-sister, Sarah Turney, worked tirelessly to bring this horrifying case back into the spotlight after it had lain dormant in the cold case files for many years.
Sarah, who is now 34, took the helm of a social media effort to shed light on her sister’s puzzling absence.
The Prosecution’s Arguments
Prosecutors painted Michael Turney as a dominating dad involved in a turbulent relationship with his stepdaughter, Alissa, throughout the dramatic trial that took place.
They argued that he was the main suspect in her disappearance based on the available evidence.
Sarah Turney clarified the contentious relationship between her father and sister when testifying as a witness.
She described Alissa as a loving and protective presence in her life while recounting a cacophony of ongoing conflicts.
The Counterarguments of the defence
In opposition to the prosecution’s story, Michael Turney’s defence team aggressively argued that there was no substantial proof linking him to Alissa’s alleged murder or even confirming her demise.
They created a picture that made people wonder if Alissa was still alive.
The Amazing Acquittal
On a crucial day in the courtroom, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers referred to Rule 20, a rule that requires an acquittal when “no substantial evidence supports a conviction.”
With that, Michael Turney was exonerated of the murder allegations that had followed him for years, and he was free to go.
The verdict stunned the jury and the larger society, leaving many people puzzled and with a lasting feeling of unfairness. The case of Alissa Turney, with its enticing cues and evasive realities, was still tragically unresolved.
The shocking courtroom drama had come to an end, but Alissa Turney’s absence remained a mystery. All individuals impacted by this mysterious case were left with an irreparable mark while justice remained elusive.
With Michael Turney’s acquittal, the Alissa Turney case comes to an end and enters the list of unsolved mysteries that will live on in the annals of true crime.
