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Sheriff rules Heather Turner’s 2017 death a suicide
After more than eight years of speculation and rumors of foul play, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office has officially closed the cold case of Heather Turner, ruling her 2017 death a suicide.
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A cold case more than eight years old has finally come to a close. The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office has ruled Heather Turner’s death a suicide, following years of speculation that she may have been the victim of foul play. Sheriff Ashley Henson said he is now putting to rest any remaining questions about the case.
Sheriff: ‘Heather Turner’s death was ruled a suicide’
What they're saying:
Sheriff Henson said a lot of rumors circulated on air and online surrounding Heather Turner’s death.
He said investigators have combed the scene, poured over records, and interviewed witnesses.
He said they all add up to the conclusion that Heather Turner’s tragic death was a suicide.
Henson said his investigators followed the facts "that have led us to the determination that Heather Turner’s death was ruled a suicide."
The death of Heather Turner
The backstory:
On May 4, 2017, Heather Turner’s husband, Andy Turner, found her inside their home in Paulding County with a gunshot wound to the head. The sheriff’s office said the coroner back then ruled Heather’s death a suicide. Investigators said she left a handwritten note.
"There are some words written on this, ‘I’m sorry. I love you,’ is the note written," said Capt. Mike Hill of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation subsequently called the circumstances around her death questionable, and the cause undetermined. Speculation and rumors followed on air and online of missing evidence, spousal abuse and murder. "There were reports, hearsay," said Eddie Herman, a cold case analyst with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. "Mainly, it was rumors."
Andy Turner (left), and Heather Turner (right)
Sheriff's point-by-point response
By the numbers:
The sheriff’s office on Friday laid out what they said was conclusive evidence that Heather Turner took her own life, including the note at the scene. "The handwriting is Heather Turner’s," Herman said.
The revolver found on scene: "Heather’s DNA was recovered and identified on the trigger guard. It was the only DNA recovered off the gun. Heather Turner’s hand tested positive for gunshot residue. The results of Andy’s test, the GSR (gunshot residue) test was negative" Herman said. "The travel pattern of the bullet, the close contact are both consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound."
Rumors of a confession: "This is simply inaudible words of sorrow from Miss Turner that we cannot discern to be any sort of confession," Hill said.
"We’ve had to hold our tongues for eight-and-a-half years and today, we get to finally tell our story," Henson said. "Forensics don’t lie. Evidence doesn’t lie."
The sheriff’s office said the GBI and the medical examiner’s office agree with the findings.
Heather Turner’s family responses
The other side:
Henson said he invited Heather Turner’s family to come to speak with him in person. They declined.
A representative for Heather Turner’s family said there is no false information on the "Justice for Heather Turner" Facebook page.
The representative said the family asked the sheriff to postpone the press conference, but declined to come in because, the representative said, he would not.
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The Source: Sheriff Ashley Henson, Capt. Mike Hill, and cold case analyst Eddie Herman spoke to FOX 5 for this article. Additional details are attributed to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the medical examiner, and an unnamed representative for Heather Turner’s family.