Chester Turner
Encyclopedia
Chester Dewayne Turner is a convicted serial killer
. On April 30, 2007, he was convicted of the murders of 10 women in Los Angeles
, and was also found guilty in the death of the unborn child of one of his victims. Prosecutors have called Turner "one of the most prolific serial killers in the city’s history". On July 10, 2007, Turner was sentenced to death.
with his mother when he was five years old, after his parents separated. He attended public schools in Los Angeles but dropped out of high school. Working for Domino's Pizza
as a cook and delivery person as a young man, he lived with his mother until she moved to Utah
. After that, he moved around to different homeless shelters and missions.
between Gage Avenue and 108th Street:
The last two murders occurred outside of this corridor in Los Angeles County:
The Vance murder was witnessed by a bystander at a neighboring trailer park. Turner was jailed seven times from 1995 to 2002, six for nonviolent offenses and once for an assault
charge on an officer and cruelty to an animal on April 9, 1997. In March 2002 Turner sexually assaulted
a 47-year-old woman for approximately two hours and threatened to kill her if she told the police. He was convicted and sentenced to eight years at a California
state prison. Turner was required to give a DNA sample to California’s Combined DNA Index System
(CODIS). In September 2003, based on that sample, Turner was identified as a match for DNA recovered from Vance and Beasley. Detectives then began a careful examination of Turner’s background. Nine of the 11 unsolved murders were matched to Turner using DNA evidence.
is scheduled for January 27, 2012.
Rather than using these convictions as a basis for excluding Turner, the detectives revisited these “solved” murders and re-evaluated the physical evidence. The detectives found that Jones’ 1995 trial had relied upon other evidence, including Jones’ coerced statements to police, instead of DNA technology. At the detectives’ request, the LAPD
Crime Laboratory processed the available evidence using the latest DNA applications. Although DNA analysis could not be used to reinvestigate the Christmas murder, prosecutors and police are confident that Jones is innocent of the Christmas murder and that Turner is the likely culprit.
During his trial, Jones had also been convicted of a rape
unrelated to the murders. He had served out his sentence for the 2000 rape conviction. The new investigation revealed that the blood typing evidence did not match the blood types found at the crimes for which he spent 11 years in prison, and he was exonerated as a murderer. Jones was released from prison in March 2004, and has filed a lawsuit
against the City of Los Angeles (LA). Jones was awarded $720,000 in compensation
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
. On April 30, 2007, he was convicted of the murders of 10 women in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and was also found guilty in the death of the unborn child of one of his victims. Prosecutors have called Turner "one of the most prolific serial killers in the city’s history". On July 10, 2007, Turner was sentenced to death.
Life
Turner moved to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with his mother when he was five years old, after his parents separated. He attended public schools in Los Angeles but dropped out of high school. Working for Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
as a cook and delivery person as a young man, he lived with his mother until she moved to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. After that, he moved around to different homeless shelters and missions.
Crimes
Turner has been convicted of 11 murders that occurred in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1998. The first nine of these murders took place in a four-block-wide corridor that ran on either side of Figueroa StreetFigueroa Street
Figueroa Street is a street in Los Angeles County, California named for General José Figueroa , governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835, who oversaw the secularization of the missions of California...
between Gage Avenue and 108th Street:
- Diane Johnson, 21, found partially nude and strangled in March 1987 in a roadway construction area west of the Harbor Freeway.
- Annette Ernest, 26, found lying on a shoulder of a road in October 1987, partially nude and strangled.
- Anita Fishman, 31, strangled and left partially nude outside a garage in an alley off Figueroa Street in January 1989.
- Regina Washington, 27, also found partially nude and strangled inside a garage off Figueroa Street in September 1989. Washington was six months pregnant. The death of the fetusFetusA fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
, referred to as Baby Washington, was attributed to the strangulation of the mother, and it was ruled a homicide. - Andrea Tripplett, 29, strangled, found partially nude behind a vacant building on Figueroa Street in April 1993.
- Desarae Jones, 29, found strangled next to a vacant residence in May 1993.
- Natalie Price, 31, found partially nude and strangled next to a vacant residence in February 1995.
- Mildred Beasley, 45, found partially nude and strangled; she was left amongst the bushes alongside the 110 Fwy in November 1996.
The last two murders occurred outside of this corridor in Los Angeles County:
- Paula Vance, 24, found in the business, Olympia Tool, in Azusa in February 1998.
- Brenda Bries, 39, found strangled in a portable toilet near Little Tokyo in April 1998.
The Vance murder was witnessed by a bystander at a neighboring trailer park. Turner was jailed seven times from 1995 to 2002, six for nonviolent offenses and once for an assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
charge on an officer and cruelty to an animal on April 9, 1997. In March 2002 Turner sexually assaulted
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
a 47-year-old woman for approximately two hours and threatened to kill her if she told the police. He was convicted and sentenced to eight years at a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
state prison. Turner was required to give a DNA sample to California’s Combined DNA Index System
Combined DNA Index System
The Combined DNA Index System is a DNA database funded by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation . It is a computer system that stores DNA profiles created by federal, state, and local crime laboratories in the United States, with the ability to search the database to assist in the...
(CODIS). In September 2003, based on that sample, Turner was identified as a match for DNA recovered from Vance and Beasley. Detectives then began a careful examination of Turner’s background. Nine of the 11 unsolved murders were matched to Turner using DNA evidence.
Suspicions in additional murders
In February 2011 Turner was charged with four additional murders. ArraignmentArraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
is scheduled for January 27, 2012.
Wrong man convicted
During the investigation of these cases, detectives also reviewed similar solved cases. In doing so, the detectives found that David Allen Jones, 28, had been convicted of three murders that occurred in the same area where Turner was known to be operating, including Tammie Christmas, found strangled in September 1992 at the 97th Street Elementary School. Jones, a mentally disabled part-time janitor who was barely literate, was questioned without an attorney and admitted using drugs with the victims in the areas where their bodies were found.Rather than using these convictions as a basis for excluding Turner, the detectives revisited these “solved” murders and re-evaluated the physical evidence. The detectives found that Jones’ 1995 trial had relied upon other evidence, including Jones’ coerced statements to police, instead of DNA technology. At the detectives’ request, the LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
Crime Laboratory processed the available evidence using the latest DNA applications. Although DNA analysis could not be used to reinvestigate the Christmas murder, prosecutors and police are confident that Jones is innocent of the Christmas murder and that Turner is the likely culprit.
During his trial, Jones had also been convicted of a rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
unrelated to the murders. He had served out his sentence for the 2000 rape conviction. The new investigation revealed that the blood typing evidence did not match the blood types found at the crimes for which he spent 11 years in prison, and he was exonerated as a murderer. Jones was released from prison in March 2004, and has filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the City of Los Angeles (LA). Jones was awarded $720,000 in compensation