A 17-year-old girl, Alissa Turney, disappears in Phoenix, leading to a shocking investigation uncovering dark family secrets. Detectives find explosives and a disturbing manifesto, raising suspicions towards Alissa's stepfather. The lack of video evidence, witness testimonies of abuse, and a possible motive for her disappearance emerge. Despite the absence of physical evidence, the prosecution seeks justice, presenting circumstantial evidence against Alissa's father.
Multiple testimonies reveal disturbing allegations of physical abuse, inappropriate touching, and control by Mike Turney towards his daughter Alyssa, raising suspicions about his involvement in her disappearance.
Numerous sources share allegations of sexual abuse and controlling behavior by Mike Turney, providing further concerns about his potential role in Alyssa's disappearance.
James Turney describes his father's tactics of isolation and control, creating a cult-like atmosphere and reinforcing the notion that Mike had significant influence over Alyssa's life and potential motivations for her disappearance.
Deep dives
Multiple Disturbing Stories About Mike Turney's Relationship with Alyssa
Several individuals, including Alyssa's cousin, friends, and family members, shared unsettling stories about Mike Turney's behavior towards Alyssa. These stories included allegations of physical abuse, inappropriate touching, and control. One friend recounted a story in which Alyssa claimed her father tried to strangle her with a sock. Another friend mentioned waking up to Mike attacking Alyssa. Alyssa's cousin even described a video he saw of Alyssa lying topless on a couch at her father's house. These testimonies painted a disturbing picture of Mike Turney's relationship with his daughter, raising suspicions about his involvement in her disappearance.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse and Control
Multiple sources, including Alyssa's friends and family, shared allegations of sexual abuse and controlling behavior by Mike Turney. Alyssa confided in friends about uncomfortable encounters with her father, including an incident during a drive in the desert. One teacher even claimed that Alyssa mentioned experiencing inappropriate physical contact with her father. Alyssa's brother, James, also revealed that she wanted to live with him and expressed fear of their father. These allegations of sexual abuse and control further raised concerns about Mike Turney's potential involvement in Alyssa's disappearance.
Attempts to Isolate and Control Alyssa
James, Alyssa's brother, highlighted the ways in which Mike Turney used tactics of isolation and control. Mike would badmouth Alyssa, portraying her as problematic and naive, and aimed to make her feel that he was the only one who could help her. James described a pattern of isolating behavior, creating a cult-like atmosphere where his father's word was the ultimate truth. Any challenges or doubts were met with exclusion from the family. These actions reinforced the idea that Mike exerted significant control over Alyssa's life, potentially motivating his involvement in her disappearance.
Shifts in Beliefs and Cooperation with Investigators
Over time, James and his brothers began to question their father's role in Alyssa's disappearance. James has been attempting to convince his siblings to ask questions and challenge their father's narrative for years. Slowly, his brothers started cooperating with investigators and sharing their doubts. As more individuals questioned Mike's actions, including allegations of sexual abuse and control, doubts grew regarding his potential involvement in Alyssa's disappearance.
Sarah Turney's relentless pursuit for justice
Sarah Turney, determined to seek justice for her sister Elissa's disappearance, starts a podcast and TikTok account, raising awareness and gaining a large following. Her efforts lead to the reopening of the case and the eventual arrest of her father, Mike Turney, for Elissa's murder.
The trial and the controversial verdict
During the trial, the prosecution presents circumstantial evidence linking Mike Turney to Elissa's disappearance. However, the defense challenges the credibility of witnesses, raises doubts about the evidence, and questions the motive. In a surprising twist, the judge grants a motion for acquittal, resulting in Mike Turney's release and leaving the case unsolved once again.
When 17-year-old Alissa Turney is reported missing in Phoenix, it takes years before detectives treat her case as a homicide. A new investigation unearths dark family secrets, leading to a dramatic courtroom drama and an outcome no one saw coming. Andrea Canning reports.
Andrea Canning and Josh Mankiewicz go behind the scenes of the making of this episode in ‘Talking Dateline’:
