MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – A South Carolina dad who was previously involved in the case of his son’s death has now been charged with his murder, nearly 35 years after the tragic incident. Victor Lee Turner, 69, and his wife Megan Renee Turner, 63, were arrested at their Cross Hill home and charged with murdering 5-year-old Justin Lee Turner in March 1989.
The tragedy took a shocking turn when authorities revealed that Justin’s stepmother, then known as Pamela Turner, told police that the young boy had left to catch his school bus from a neighbor’s house while she was in the shower. She claimed that she only realized that Justin was missing when he failed to get off the school bus later that day.
According to Sheriff Duane Lewis, the neighbor never saw the boy, and he was reported missing from school. His father, Victor Turner, was filmed by news crews just two days after Justin’s disappearance, claiming that his son was inside his camper, saying, “My son’s in there. Someone hurt him.” Autopsy results showed that Justin had been sexually assaulted and strangled.
Following years of silence and a lack of contact with authorities, a cold case investigation was opened in 2021 utilizing new technology to lead to the recent charges. Both Victor and Megan Turner are being held at the Hill-Finklea Detention Center without bond.
The sheriff expressed relief, stating, “We have a lot of forensic evidence. We got here because of new technology and forensic medicine. Y’all, we all know how things have progressed over the years. And we kept pushing and plugging and pulling to finally get what we needed to make an arrest.”
Justin’s cousin Amy Parsons, who was 8 years old at the time of the murder, expressed her family’s relief, stating, “I want to say our justice system did what it was intended to do and put these two people where they deserve to be because they’ve walked for 34 years. They’ve had freedom for 34 years, while our family has suffered and they don’t deserve another day from behind those bars.”
The case highlights the significance of forensic technology and evidence, as it provides hope for resolution in long-standing cold cases, ultimately delivering justice for the victims and their families. This breakthrough brings a sense of closure to a tragic chapter for the Turner family and the community at large.