And Sarah Turney, frustrated and heartbroken, was told that the best way to keep her sisters case alive was to build a following on social media. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one. Believe it or not, it has become an important outlet for Alissas story. Quickly, the Phoenix Police identified their only person of interest, Alissa's step father, Michael Roy Turney. On May 17, 2001, 17-year-old Alissa left Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona, in the middle of the day. At the time of his arrest, Hymer had been driving a vehicle belonging to a woman named Sandra Goodman. I told her she could come stay with me. During the search, investigators also found 19 high-caliber assault rifles, two handmade silencers, a van filled with gasoline cans and 26 handmade explosive devices filled with gunpowder and roofing nails. He faces second-degree murder charges. But as each year passed with no sightings, Alissa just leaving to start a new life seemed less likely. She got away from him and thats what she wanted. However, there is a social movement growing to get justice for Alissa Turney and her death as many believe Michael is directly responsible for Alissa Turney's disappearance. Along with Alissa, Strahm had son John, 10, from a different biological father. This week, weve rounded up the best party pics from events with Ralph Lauren and Tiffany & Co. Would You Wear a Bag Made of Cactus, Apples, or Grapes? This page is not available in other languages. You interviewed parents of any new friends of hers. Michael agreed with most of these points, saying he felt bad about his behavior in hindsight, because she ran away as a result of it, but that it seemed warranted to him at the time. Authorities also found surveillance equipment inside her house, which her stepfather admitted to setting up, for what he claimed to be safety reasons and not to spy on his children. She even started a podcast called Voices for Justice about Alissas case. We met at a neutral place - Starbucks, she told Dateline. At the time, there were no signs of foul play or exigency based on the fact Alissa was 17 years old and had no mental/physical health issues, Sgt. Stepfather charged with murder of Alissa Turney who disappeared on last Sarah TurneyAlissa Turney and her stepfather, Michael Turney, in an undated family photograph. To us, this is a family tragedy that tore us apart. I feel like there was not another platform where I could be as expressive.. She worked at the fast food restaurant Jack in the Box, and had a boyfriend. He said the conversation was scrambled, but he realized it was Alissa and said that she told him, Leave me alone, before hanging up. Looking for Alissa: Father Hunts for Rebellious Teen - ABC News A judge granted the alleged victim a temporary full order of protection ahead of the actors May 9 court appearance on domestic violence charges. The elder Turney, who is facing second-degree murder charges in Alissa's death, was arrested in Mesa, about 19 miles southeast of Phoenix, Thursday afternoon. It was later determined that Thomas Hymers description of Alissa was not viable and his story was false. Instead, they took over her life. He was sentenced to the maximum term of 10 years in federal prison, but was released in 2017. Yeah, of course I feel bad about it.. I feel terrible I wasnt able to do more when I was younger.. Alissa disappeared almost two decades ago Alissa Turney According to information provided by Phoenix Police officials back in 2008, Alissa Turney, then 17, disappeared in 2001, at the end. 1,666 following. Alissa Turney, 17, disappeared in May 2001. Alissa Turney Podcast: What Is Dad Michael Turney Hiding? - MEL Magazine In 2010, Mr. Turney pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices, a felony, and was sentenced to a decade in prison. According to Sarah, Alissa was close to her family, her friends and her boyfriend, and although she dreamed of living a new life, she never mentioned running away. As she told the Times: All I can hope for is a fair trial for Alissa and my father. The Disappearance of Alissa Turney - Sarah Turney Full - YouTube The Disappearance Of Alissa Turney, The Missing Teen Allegedly Killed By Her Stepfather. Your perseverance and commitment to finding justice for your sister, Alissa, is a testament to the love of a sister, she said. The body of Alissa Turney has yet to be found after 19 years. 23K followers. Michael says he and his other daughter, Sarah, found a note from Alissa in her handwriting saying she had ran away to California. Alissa Turney's Murder Is Finally Solved 20 Years Later People who are frequently othered in our culture will definitely know when youre just trying to sniff out their ethnicity. Alissa Turney (born April 3, 1984) [1] was an American 17-year-old girl who was last seen in the Phoenix, Arizona area on May 17, 2001. Her four older brothers had moved out of the house, and Alissa still lived at home with Michael and her little sister, Sarah. She has a small scar on her chin. The Phoenix Police Department Missing Persons Unit is investigating. Or to her aunts house in California. Sarah remembers Alissa being a good student, but a spirited teenager with a rebellious streak. 20 Years After Alissa Turney's Disappearance, Her Sister Gets Some It was the last day of classes for sisters Alissa and Sarah Turney. Sarah Turney was 12 years old when her sister, Alissa Turney, 17, vanished in 2001. Im just trying to use those TikTok algorithms to spread the word. The sisters had a five year age difference but were close. She waged a yearslong social media campaign to encourage an investigation into the man she suspected most: her father, Michael Turney. Charley Project - Alissa Marie Turney; Interview with her sister Sarah Turney about her sister, the case, and her work with the Missing Alissa Podcast; Missing Alissa Podcast *Please Note* As of July 2019 Sarah Turney now runs her own podcast dedicated to the case. Because of that love, Alissa's light has never gone out, she said. Goodman had been found the day before, strangled, stabbed and wedged under a bed in a Fort Lauderdale hotel. We did it," Sarah Turney, Alissa's sister, posted on social media. At the time, police reportedly classified Alissa a runaway. Hey Fashion Friend, Whats the Perfect Travel Shoe? His step-daughter Alissa disappeared nearly 20 years ago. Her sister used social media to arrest the man who killed her. This post deals with child abuse and might be triggering for some readers. Privacy Policy and Alissa Turney went missing from Phoenix, Arizona on May 17th, 2001 at the age of 17. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 38 Best Sneakers for Women in Every Single Style, Im On the Hunt for the Best Sunscreens Without a White Cast, Madame Clairevoyant: Horoscopes for the Week of May 1, What to Do (and Not to Do) When Your Friend Has a Newborn, The Reality-TV Producer Sleeping With a Guitar Player, The Rivalry Between the Knicks and the Heat From the Guys Who Were There, The Knicks Vs. Heat Rivalry From the Guys Who Were There, Long Live the White House Correspondents Dinner. Did TikTok Help Solve a Decades-Old Disappearance? Born on April 3, 1984, Alissa Marie Turney lived an outwardly typical life. Alissa Turney was last seen leaving her high school. Alissa Turney lived in Paradise Valley, Arizona. The 21 Best Sports Bras for Every Workout. Alissa Turney Age, Petition, Dad Father, Sister Sarah Turney, Wiki 2023 She was so worried and wanted to make sure I was OK.. Sarah told Dateline as Alissa entered her teenage years, her stepfather father became stricter with her. Almost two decades after 17-year-old Alissa Turney disappeared, her sister Sarah discovered something about the day she went missing. But this information would not be included in the investigation until years later. They did not find any videos from the day she disappeared. Cox said. You know, the one from Friends, Sarah laughed. On August 20, Alissa's stepfather . The 4 Jacket Trends Well Be Wearing This Spring. At the time, there were no signs of foul play or exigency based on the fact Alissa was 17 years old and had no mental/physical health issues, Sgt. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/us/alissa-turney-update.html. But Sarah told Dateline she was informed by the Phoenix Police that they were unable to prosecute any person of interest in Alissas case at that time. independent local journalism in Phoenix. Her stepfather also said he got a call from her a week later, which would have been the last known contact. In the podcast, Detective Stuart Somershoe of the Phoenix Police Department, who worked Alissas case for years, said it was the relationship between Aissa and her stepfather that shifted police attention to the possibility of foul play. He said they got into an argument over Alissas desire for more freedom. She had grown up in a blended family under the care of Michael Turney, her stepfather, who'd adopted her when her mother died from lung cancer. Michael Turney has exhibited an apparent obsession with his stepdaughter, Alissa, police noted in 2008. "Alissa Turney was 17 years old went she vanished. In 2009, Michael Turney told ABC News he returned home the day she disappeared to discover she had left a note and said he immediately began looking for her. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Turney was arrested on Thursday in Mesa, Arizona, and charged with second-degree murder, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced at a press conference. And as they began interviewing people who knew her, strange details came out about Michael: That he set up extensive, sometimes hidden, surveillance cameras inside his home, and that he installed a passive recording device on their landline. 21 Things on Sale Youll Actually Want to Buy: From J.Crew to Patagonia. At the time of her disappearance, she lived with her stepfather Michael Turney and half-sister Sarah Turney. At a news conference last week announcing the grand jury indictment, Allister Adel, the prosecutor for Maricopa County, Ariz., addressed Ms. Turney directly. [1] She went missing on her last day of her junior year in high school after she was picked up by her step father, Michael Roy Turney. Willy P and I chat about the missing persons case of Alissa Turney. He said he believed his father was not treating the girls right and was afraid for their safety. Age / How old / Birthday / Date of Birth / DOB. Police believed something was wrong because she left behind her cellphone, her hairbrush and makeup and never touched any of the $1,800 in her bank account. All rights reserved, Privacy Policy|Online Content Agreement. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Sarah and her older half-sister Alissa lived with Sarahs father, Michael Turney, in Phoenix, Arizona. . What Im going to do is scream to the whole world until Alissa has justice, she wrote in a blog post last year. These leather-alternative brands are hoping that you will. So we can sleep at night. Sergeant Cox confirms Michael Turney remains the only person of interest in Alissas case. It was the last day of her junior year at Paradise Valley High School. Her boyfriend revealed that Michael had tried fooling around with her. And most disturbingly of all, Alissa had told friends that shed once woken up tied to a chair, gagged, with Michael on top of her. He was always frantic about her, Sarah said. And last week, she got them. Alissa was an average student with a steady boyfriend, a part-time job at the local Jack in the Box, and a fantasy of running away from home. But after he realized I wasnt there to reconnect, he got angry. But then, on May 17, 2001, the last day of the school year, Alissa Turney vanished. I was finally accepted into the cool kids club., For years, she has worked to call attention to Alissas case, sharing conversations shes had with her father, interviews with law enforcement, and a raft of other details from the case across various platforms online. When Sarah got home later that day, she says she found her sisters typically tidy bedroom absolutely wrecked, with a note on her dresser explaining that shed run away to California. According to the Arizona Republic newspaper, Thomas Hymer told a prison guard he had killed Alissa Turney. Hes been arrested. Anyone with information is asked to call the Phoenix Police Department Missing Persons Unit at (602) 262-6141, Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or email phoenix.tips.ppd@phoenix.gov. Now, I need to continue to be tough and use that to fight for the justice she deserves. What Happened To Alissa Turney? | Missing | Investigation Discovery There, a detective told her, We think your father did it. Alissas friends told police that Michael had tried to sexually abuse Alissa. Alissa went missing from Phoenix, Arizona in 2001 when she was 17 years old. This is not going away and Im going to make sure it never does. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. She poked her head into her boyfriends woodworking class and said her stepfather was taking her out of school early,Adel said at the press conference. At the news conference on Thursday, Detective William Anderson of the Phoenix Police Department said that after an initial investigation into Alissas disappearance in 2001, the police became aware of additional information in 2008, leading to a re-investigation that involved more than 200 interviews with people who knew her. Turney. The Case of Alissa Turney 2021 NEW Update Documentary - Alissa Turney was 17 years old when she vanished. She dressed me and taught me so many things.. [16][14][17][18] She drew upon over 3,000 pages of publicly released notes and case documents from the Phoenix Police Department. It finally forced them to look at my sisters case, Sarah explained to Dateline. In 2001 Michael Turney, 72, called police to tell them his 17-year-old step-daughter Alissa Turney had "ran away" and would no longer be attending school in the fall. She shared details about her sisters disappearance in a podcast and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Ms. Turney did not only campaign for justice, she also became an amateur sleuth. If you didnt like Alissa and if he didnt want her in his house then why didnt he just call her Aunt that lives in California to come to get her, instead of killing her. It took almost 20 years but we did it.". She deserves her day in court. Detective Anderson referred to the case as a no-body homicide investigation, but stopped short of confirming that Alissa was dead. California was this beautiful dream that many people here wanted, she told Dateline in June. Sarah said they found Alissas usually tidy room a mess. Disappearance of Alissa Turney - Wikipedia document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); For requests, complaints, suggestions or queries, contact us via E-mail below, Mollie Tibbetts Wiki, Father Dad, Boyfriend (Parents Mother) Height, Jodi Arias Wikipedia, Now 2023, Marriage, Bio, Family Parents Today , Carolyn Bryant Wikipedia, Death Date, Age, Education, Biography, Family, Amber Hilberling Wiki, Baby, Parents, Son Levi Hilberling Age, Today 2023. Police initially thought Alissa had run away to California. Sergeant Cox told Dateline that allegations of sexual abuse by Michael Turney prompted investigators to focus on him after speaking to several people in 2008. In one clip from 2000, it appears that Mr. Turney sat in a parking lot to film Alissa while she worked at a fast-food restaurant. This process has been absolute hell. After the charge against her father was announced, she posted celebratory updates to her social media accounts. Phoenix's independent source of A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. The sisters lost their mother to cancer when they were young and were mostly raised by Mr. Turney, Ms. Turneys biological father and Alissas stepfather and legal guardian. Before long, they discovered some alarming details about her stepfather, Michael. Michael Turney had always kept an abnormally close eye on Alissa, his stepdaughter. Be there at my deathbed, Sarah, and Ill give you all the honest answers you want to hear, Michael Turney tells her in the clip. He said, Be at the deathbed, Sarah, and I will give you all the honest answers you want to hear. He also said he would confess to everything if the state agreed to give him a lethal injection within 10 days.. UPDATE: Alissa Turney | Crime Junkie Podcast Alissa then dared the much-younger Sarah to jump off the roof while she was still on the trampoline. In April 2020, Sarah made a TikTok as well and soon built a following in the hundreds of thousands. According to the Phoenix Police Department, Michael Turney, previously told authorities that he picked Alissa up from her last day of school around 11 a.m. and took her out to lunch. "I've never heard so much concern in her voice, Sarah said. All I can hope for is a fair trial for Alissa and my father, she said. Dateline NBC attempted to reach Michael Turney for comment, but was unsuccessful. It took almost 20 years but we did it., On her podcast, Sarah tearfully added, Without you guys, this would have never happened. Riah Matthews 5 min read June 20, 2020 - 11:24AM Although some of her memories are fuzzy, time has a tendency to do that, Sarah Turney still remembers the day her 17-year-old sister Alissa mysteriously disappeared. In 2008, investigators from the Phoenix Police Department Missing Persons Unit opened Alissas case and declared that foul play was indeed a factor in her disappearance, according to Sergeant Maggie Cox. In 2006, a Florida serial killer named Thomas Hymer confessed to murdering Alissa, but as investigators went back over her case, the pieces didnt fit. Authorities initially treated Alissa as a runaway, but foul play is now suspected. Stepfather Speaks Out About Missing Teen - ABC News But 7 years later, a serial killer comes forward with a story that would launch an investigation into her disappearance and make her family fear that Alissa had been a victim of foul play. local news and culture. Over the next year, the Turney siblings, each at different times, began to question their sisters disappearance. Sergeant Cox told Dateline that during the search at Turneys home authorities located a 98-page manifesto, titled "Diary of a Madman Martyr." At Mr. Turneys residence in Phoenix, they found 26 pipe bombs and three incendiary devices, according to an F.B.I. saraheturney/TikTokOne of Sarah Turneys TikToks, where she discussed details of her sisters disappearance. With a stepdad like Michael, home was the last place she wanted to be. Omg thank you. The list of its authors can be seen in its historicaland/or the page Edithistory:Disappearance of Alissa Turney. Were exhausted. Michael was, by all accounts, much harder on Alissa than he was on Sarah or any of his other children, surveilling her while she worked her job at Jack in the Box (per footage he recorded, and Sarah later posted to YouTube) and keeping her under tight control. Alissa Turney went missing from Phoenix, Arizona on May 17th, 2001 at the age of 17. The phone was on the dresser, along with a note in Alissas loopy handwriting, Sarah said. According to the Phoenix Police Department. The police determined that thered been no foul play, and even Alissas stepbrother, John who knew that Alissa was afraid of Michael accepted that shed likely fled the house after a fight with him. Alissas little sister, Sarah, who is now in her 30s, has never given up her search for justice in her sisters case. They found multiple videotapes, dating back to the 1980s, including surveillance footage from around the house. It is call Voices for Justice and you can find it on all major platforms. If you asked me then if I thought my father had any involvement, I would have said no. Nearly 20 years after 17-year-old Alissa Turney disappeared from her home in Phoenix, Arizona in 2001, her stepfather Michael Turney has been indicted by a grand jury in her murder. When she asks why he wouldnt give her those answers now, he replies: Because youve got em now.. Her younger sister, Sarah Turney, has been investigating the case on social media. [1][11], In 2006, self-proclaimed serial killer Thomas Albert Hymer told a prison guard that he had killed Alissa. A Phoenix man charged in the murder of his missing stepdaughter is asking for his case . Stepfather arrested, accused of murdering Alissa Turney, who Did a Teen Actually Kill His Neighbor to Become TikTok Famous? Her sister, Sarah Turney, told Dateline in June that she remembers her sister being excited for summer and was planning to attend a graduation party later that evening. During the press conference, officials credited Alissa's sister, Sarah, for her perseverance in this case. Alissa Turney's Disappearance, The Cold Case That TikTok Helped Solve When he returned later with Sarah, Alissa Turney had vanished. But Ms. Turney knows the story is far from over. She recorded conversations with her father and shared the clips on YouTube. Thats all I ever wanted, is for them both to have their day in court. She says she will attend every hearing. At this time, the Phoenix Police Department found 26 pipe bombs and a manifesto to use these bombs in a act of domestic terrorism. ALISSA TURNEY", "Stepfather Eyed in Case of Missing Teen", "Missing girl's stepdad gets 10 years in union hall bomb plot", "We have answers we need justice for Alissa Turney", article "Disappearance of Alissa Turney" is from Wikipedia, Edithistory:Disappearance of Alissa Turney, https://en.everybodywiki.com/index.php?title=Disappearance_of_Alissa_Turney&oldid=892363. Sarah, you said you really wanted me gone now you have it. Sarah said she remembers Alissa trying to give her a haircut, that was trendy at the time. Ive received more interest in this case from that app in the past month than the last 10 years, Sarah said. In 2001, Alissa Turney went missing. We spoke for over an hour. It seems like he hated her even more after her mother Barbara passed away. Conveniently, the recorder had been turned off on the only morning he said Alissa had called after disappearing, Michael said. When they returned home, he said Alissa was still angry and went to her room. She plans to attend every court hearing, she said just as she did a decade ago, when her father was on trial for the explosives possession charge. https://charleyproject.org/case/alissa-marie-turney No charges have been pressed against Michael in the relation to the disappearance of his step daughter. [6]. In my heart, I feel certain that Alissa is gone, Ms. Turney said. So she did. I didnt really feel the need to tattle as much, she said. It was May 17, 2001. Alissa was entered into NCIC as soon as the report was taken. Alissa and her stepfather, Michael Turney. As of 2023, she is around 39 years old. One of Sarahs favorite memories is when Alissa jumped off the roof of their house onto their new trampoline, causing her to bounce into the familys above-ground pool. By 2001, Alissa was a junior in high school. 584 posts. Its so incredibly embarrassing but so incredibly effective. Alissa Turney, 17, was never heard from again. I was prepped to take care of them.. Hymer was sentenced to life in prison in 2003 for her murder. I still think of her as my tough older sister who taught me to be tough. A few hours into the search for the surveillance tapes and Alissa's original runaway note, investigators uncovered several homemade pipe bombs filled with gunpowder and roofing nails around the Turney home. But in recent years, she has worked to raise awareness about what she's concluded to be her father's guilt, posting on social media with #JusticeforAlissa and working on her podcast, "Voices for Justice.". Now, Sarah says that all she hopes is for a fair trial for Michael and Alissa Turney. Sarah said as soon as she started screaming, though, her sister told her to be quiet so they wouldnt get in trouble. That you were very controlling and very strict; that you had her sign contracts, and followed her around. Her stepfather told police shed run away, but for her little sister Sarah Turney, 12 at the time the story never quite squared. Michael Turney had reported Alissa missing on May 17 to the Phoenix Police Department. Michael Turney has been arrested in the murder of his stepdaughter, Alissa Turney, who was killed in 2001. Sarah told Dateline she remembers her father being frantic about finding Alissa. In his telling, he returned her to the family home around 1 p.m., then left to run errands. He admitted to conducting surveillance on her at work, using binoculars to spy on her., In Sarah Turneys telling, police asked her to come to police headquarters in December 2008.