Stepfather charged in case of missing teen
17-year-old disappeared almost 20 years ago
Murder charges have been filed against the stepfather of Alissa Turney, a Paradise Valley teen who disappeared in 2001.
Nineteen years ago, a Paradise Valley teenager disappeared without a trace on the last day of her junior year. Alissa Turney, 17, was never heard from again.
On Thursday, her stepfather, Michael Turney, was arrested, and faces charges of second-degree murder.
Alissa’s case has remained in the national spotlight through a series of turns and with the determination of her younger sister, Sarah Turney, to find justice. Her body has never been found.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced the arrest and charges, but County Attorney Allister Adel declined to provide details about the case or what new information may have led to the arrest after so many years.
“Seeking justice for victims of crime and their families will always be job one for this office,” she said.
Sarah on Thursday afternoon tweeted about her father’s arrest.
“I’m shaking and I’m crying. We did it you guys,” she posted.
“He’s been arrested. Omg thank you. #justiceforalissa Never give up hope that you can get justice. It took almost 20 years but we did it.”
Sgt. Maggie Cox, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department, told The Arizona Republic that completing a cold case investigation is rewarding for detectives.
“For detectives, these results are rewarding and satisfying because ultimately the work to complete the investigation resulted in charges which ultimately brings justice to the families who have waited years for answers,” she said.
‘She was a survivor’
Alissa was raised in a blended family. Her mother remarried when Alissa was 3 and her stepfather adopted her. Her mother later died of cancer, before Alissa went missing.
Family members described Alissa as a good student. She had a boyfriend and worked at a Jack in the Box.
“She was a survivor,” Sarah told The Arizona Republic in 2019.
According to Adel, Alissa was last seen by her boyfriend at Paradise Valley High School.
She told him her stepfather was picking her up.
“Alissa’s life was just beginning,” Adel said. “For nearly 20 years, those who loved Alissa have longed to see her.”
Prior years in prison
In 2008, Phoenix police became aware of more information on Alissa’s case. They conducted 200 interviews with people who knew her.
“Through that, we began to see this was not a runaway child,” William Anderson, a detective with the Phoenix Police Department, said on Thursday.
Police were led back to Michael Turney, and they found explosives at his Phoenix home.
According to the FBI, there were 26 pipe bombs and three incendiary devices.
Turney, a former electrician, was planning to blow up a union hall, according to investigators.
Turney pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices, and was sentenced to serve a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. He was released in 2017.
“His self-built supply of bombs had the potential for catastrophic consequences,” Dennis K. Burke, then-U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona, said in 2010.
Anderson said Turney’s years in prison didn’t bring justice for Alissa. But with no body ever found, charges — and a criminal conviction — are often difficult.
But they’re not impossible.
The killers of mother Christine Mustafa, 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley, 13year-old Brad Hansen and 8-month-old Gabriel were all convicted, despite no bodies ever being found.
A sister’s determination
Sarah has made people across the country aware of her sister’s case through a website called Justice for Alissa.
It explains her sister’s disappearance using blog posts, YouTube videos and podcasts.
She told The Republic that Alissa’s story has changed lives.
Adel called Sarah’s actions “a testament to a love of a sister.”
“Alissa’s light has never gone out,”
Adel said.
While seeking justice for her sister, Sarah formed a bond with two other women whose older sisters also disappeared.
Kristin Thelen’s sister Brandy Myers disappeared in 1992. Kimber Biggs’ sister, Mikelle, disappeared in 1999.
“We are stronger together, and we are not going to give up,” Sarah said.