Justin Turner's parents cleared in decades-old case, sheriff says

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – Victor and Megan Turner had charges against them dropped just months after they were accused of murdering 5-year-old Justin Turner, the victim of a crime that remained unfinished during of the last 35 years. .

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson released a statement regarding the court's decision.

Our hearts go out to those who loved and cared for sweet Justin Turner. Your dedication to him is an inspiration to everyone. Without a doubt, Justin knew your love for him.

Berkeley County is fortunate to have a sheriff as committed to justice as Sheriff Lewis and his team. Since the moment he was sworn in, Sheriff Lewis has made unwavering efforts to bring Justin Turner's killer(s) to justice.

Although the arrest warrants for Victor and Megan Turner were supported by probable cause, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Just as Sheriff Lewis honored the oath of office and his commitment to this community by pursuing justice for Justin, Judge Young honored the oath of office by upholding the law. As testimony at the motions hearing revealed, the time that has passed since this heinous crime has resulted in testimony and evidence that is no longer available. Furthermore, the mistakes made 35 years ago could not be corrected. The Court found that the unavailability of this evidence unfairly prejudices the defense. The Court also noted the absence of new evidence from this investigation. We have no reason to dispute the Court's findings.

It's rare that prosecutors can say there's nothing more that can be done to investigate further, but in this case we know that Sheriff Lewis and his team of investigators did everything they could. they could to find truth and justice.

Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis released a statement following the firing.

“Unfortunately, the charges filed today by the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office against Victor Lee Turner and Megan Renee Turner, in relation to the Justin Turner case, were dismissed by a judge. Berkeley County cold case detectives are working tirelessly to bring justice to the victims and their families. This is not the result we were looking for; however, we understand the technicalities of prosecuting crimes committed years ago. We would like to thank Scarlett Wilson and the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office for their work on this case.

Justin's father Victor and his stepmother Megan were previously charged in the case based on an analysis of evidence by a cold case unit in 2021, in which new technologies were used to link the couple to the crime.

However, court documents show that Judge Roger M. Young Sr. concluded that the delay in filing charges, particularly against Victor Turner, resulted in investigators being biased against Victor and Megan, causing them to would deprive them of their right to a fair trial.

“The Court … finds that the harm to Defendants far outweighs the reasons for the delay – reasons which the State of South Carolina has failed to identify in this case,” the request states. of dismissal.

Additionally, the dismissal means that neither Victor nor Megan Turner can ever be charged in this case again.

Both men maintained their innocence throughout the ordeal, saying a serial killer could be responsible for the death.

Court documents indicate that this claim that they were a serial killer had no bearing on their decision to drop the charges.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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