Bloomington native Dustin Turner has been granted parole after three decades in a Virginia prison for a murder conviction.
The Virginia Parole Board granted Turner, 50, parole on Jan. 7 with a 3-2 vote. Turner has been eligible for parole three times previously but was denied, said Turner’s attorney Stephen Northup.
After Turner was granted parole, he went into a reentry program, Northup said. The reentry program has classes to help Turner get adjusted once released.
“He's been locked up since June of (1995) and while he is very savvy and very intelligent and has a strong personality and he's strong leader, he's got a lot of good skills, he still hasn't lived,” he said.
It could take Turner at least six weeks to return to Indiana as Indiana will have to accept him into its parole and probation system, Northup said. Turner will be returning to Columbus, where his mother, Linda Summitt, has a house set up for him. Turner also has a job offer from Veterans helping Veterans.
Summitt said at some point in the future Turner will want to work on getting his charges dropped, “because he is wrongfully convicted.”
In June 1995, Turner was in a Navy SEAL training program in Virginia Beach, Virginia. One night Turner and a friend, Billy Brown, went to a bar where Turner met a woman, Jennifer Evans. Turner wanted to spend time with Evans so he arranged a ride home for Brown, Northup said.
Brown got into an argument with his alternate ride home and got into the back seat of the car Turner and Evans were in. Brown started to play with Evans’ hair. She reached back and slapped Brown’s hand, Northup said. Brown then put Evans into a headlock which resulted in Evans dying. Turner tried to release Brown’s grip but was unable to.
Turner ended up helping Brown dispose of Evans’ body. Turner confessed but Brown changed his story. He said when he got to the car Turner and Evans were in, Evans was already dead and Turner killed her, Northup said.
“When they go through this program (Navy SEAL training program), they have what is known as a dive buddy, somebody that they're partnered up with, and they go through training with, and they spend a lot of time together, and they're supposed to be totally loyal to each other,” he said. “You know, you never leave your buddy in the field, that kind of thing.”
Turner and Brown were convicted of abduction and murder.
Years later, Brown confessed and told the truth. In an evidentiary hearing, Turner’s and Brown’s testimonies were deemed credible, Northup said. But ultimately a Virginia Court decided Turner would serve out his full term on the original charges.
Summitt said she hopes Dustin’s case will show young adults how one minute of their lives can change so many other lives.
“If something goes wrong in your life, and you know that it's wrong… Think about it and do the right thing,” Summitt said.
