Inset: Di Morriea Turner (Delaware County Jail). Background: The area in Muncie, Indiana, where Turner threw his girlfriend in front of a train (Google Maps).
A 25-year-old man in Indiana will spend more than three decades behind bars for attempting to kill his girlfriend when he “hurled” her in front of an oncoming train. Delaware County Circuit Judge John M. Feick on Wednesday sentenced Di Morriea Turner to 36 years in a state detention facility for trying to murder the then-17-year-old victim.
A jury in July deliberated for less than one hour before finding Turner guilty on multiple felony charges, including counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery, and domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon, according to the Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney”s Office. The judge credited Turner with 1,714 days served.
In the sentencing order, Feick listed numerous aggravating factors. He emphasized that Turner is currently facing two additional criminal cases involving the same victim, he was out on bond at the time of the attempted murder, and he has a history of committing similar offenses involving minors, including battery on a person less than 14 years old and domestic battery committed in the presence of a child. He also noted that during his incarceration, Turner had received nine incident reports.
“I’m very happy with this result,” County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said in a statement following the verdict. “This verdict should send a message to everyone in this county that Domestic Violence will never be tolerated.”
In a release announcing Turner’s sentence, Hoffman’s office said the evidence presented at trial made it clear that the defendant “pushed or threw his girlfriend in front of or into a moving train in an attempt to kill her.”
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According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, officers with the Muncie Police Department on June 19, 2019, responded to a call about a pedestrian being struck by a train in the 500 block of West 23rd Street. Upon arriving, first responders found two injured individuals — Turner, who suffered injuries to his knees and elbows, and his girlfriend, who was unresponsive and bleeding from her head.
EMS transported Turner to a hospital, while his girlfriend was airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis due to the severity of her condition. She underwent numerous procedures, including reconstructive surgery on her face, police said.
While at the hospital, Turner agreed to speak with investigators.
“Turner told [police] he and [the victim] had been arguing all morning because she thought he had been cheating on her so she packed up some of her belongings and left the residence they were at when the argument took place,” the affidavit said. “While outside, Turner and [the victim] again began to argue and Turner told police he and [the victim] were both aware a train was approaching where they were standing. Further, Turner stated he ‘grabbed’ [the victim] because he didn’t want her to be on the ‘other side of the train.'”
When the victim was able to speak, she told police she could not remember the incident involving her boyfriend and the train. However, two employees who were at the station witnessed the incident and provided statements to police.
“One stated it appeared to him as if Turner had [the victim] in a ‘bear hug’ when the train was close and ‘hurled’ her over his shoulder, into the path of the train,” the affidavit read.
After obtaining surveillance footage of the attack, police said it appeared as if the victim “was trying to get away from” Turner before he grabbed hold of her head and “moved her directly in front of the moving train causing it to strike and injure [the victim] as well as Turner.”
