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Was Michael Turney Convicted in the Alissa Turney Case? The Twisty Trial, Explained
The new Oxygen documentary takes a deep dive into the unresolved case of Alissa Turney, who mysteriously vanished in 2001.
On May 17, 2001, Alissa Turney, 17, a rising senior in Phoenix, Arizona, vanished without a trace.
Her stepfather, Michael Turney, now 76, reported her missing, claiming she had run away from their Arizona home after finishing her junior year. She even left a handwritten letter explaining her decision, he said.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remained a mystery for many years. Then, in August 2020, Turney was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Alissa Turney’s disappearance.
Nearly three years later, that charge was dropped and Michael Turney was set free. Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Allison Turney airing on Oxygen, takes a deep dive into the case.
What happened in the Alissa Turney case?
Alissa Turney lived with her stepfather and her half-sister, Sarah Turney, in their Phoenix home. Alissa’s biological mother passed away when she was young, and Michael Turney had been her primary caregiver ever since.
When Alissa Turney vanished, Michael Turney reported that his stepdaughter ran away after they argued about her wanting to be independent. All that she left behind was a note, shown in Family Secrets, explaining that she was going to California.
Because of the letter, the fact that Alissa Turney was 17 years old, and her not having a history of mental health issues, authorities initially decided that there was no foul play involved and deemed her a runaway.
Renewed Interest in Alissa Turney's Disappearance
Alissa Turney’s case went cold until 2008, when the Phoenix Police Department Missing Persons Unit reopened the matter and declared foul play was a factor in her disappearance, lawandcrime.com reported.
After interviews with several people, including Sarah Turney, and seeing that Alissa Turney's bank accounts remained untouched, authorities came to the conclusion that Alissa Turney wasn’t an ordinary runaway. Instead, authorities to began focus on Michael Turney.
A search of Michael Turney’s home turned up a cache of weapons, including pipe bombs. Michael Turney, who’d worked as an electrician in the 1980s, had plans to attack a local electricians' union, The Arizona Republic reported. Home surveillance videos were also found in the search.
Michael Turney pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the weapons and explosives. He remained behind bars in federal prison until 2017.
All this time, Sarah Turney never gave up on finding Alissa Turney. She created Voices for Justice, a podcast aimed at turning a spotlight on cases that needed attention. And then, Sarah Turney’s call to action on TikTok went viral.
Michael Turney's 2020 Arrest for Murder
After serving his sentence for weapons charges, Michael Turney was released from prison. Meanwhile, the case of Alissa's disappearance was still open and getting attention, thanks, in large part, to Sarah Turney's efforts to raise awareness.
On Aug. 19, 2020, Turney was indicted on a second-degree murder in connection with Alissa Turney's disappearance.
The indictment was based on a combination of circumstantial evidence, witness statements, and the suspicious nature of his behavior and actions both before and after Alissa's disappearance.
In July 2023, during Michael Turney’s trial, Sarah testified that she asked her father what happened to Alissa Turney. She told the court that her father said he’d tell her when he was on his deathbed, according to Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney.
Why the Charges Against Michael Turney Were Dropped
After the state wrapped up their case, Michael Turney’s defense team submitted a motion to the judge for an acquittal. They cited Rule 20 of the Arizona Rules of Criminal procedure, which states that “the court must enter a judgment of acquittal … if there is no substantial evidence to support a conviction.”
Defense attorney Olivia Hicks argued that the state did not present any physical evidence that Alissa Turney is dead and their client caused her death.
Deputy County Attorney Vince Imbordino told the judge that Alissa Turney’s lack of contact with people she loved was evidence that she was dead.
Judge Sam Myers ruled in favor of the defense and all charges in the case against Michael Turney were dismissed. He was released from custody on July 18, 2023.
Through one of his lawyers, Michael Turney stated that he is “obviously still very concerned about the case and Alissa and trying to find who actually killed her," NBC News reported.
Watch Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Allison Turney, airing on Oxygen. An extended version of the documentary will premiere Tuesday, Oct. 22 on Peacock.
