'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Oxygen True Crime has aired Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney on Sunday, October 13, at 8 p.m. ET. The episode explored the 2001 case of Alissa Turney's disappearance from Phoenix. The documentary includes home videos and interviews that closely examine the family dynamics and Alissa's sister, Sarah Turney's relentless pursuit of the truth.
For a long time, it was believed Alissa had run away, but recent evidence suggests something more sinister may have occurred. On May 17, 2001, 17-year-old Alissa Turney vanished from Phoenix, Arizona, on the last day of her junior year at Paradise Valley High School.
Alissa was last seen by her stepfather, Michael Turney, who said he had lunch with her before dropping her off at their home. That evening, Michael called the police to report Alissa as a runaway, basing this on a note supposedly left by her stating she was heading to California.
Trending
For years, the runaway theory was accepted until new scrutiny arose in 2008 when the Phoenix Police Department reclassified her case as involving foul play. Alissa’s belongings, including her cell phone and bank account, remained untouched, contradicting the behavior of a typical runaway.
In 2020, fueled by a campaign led by Sarah Turney, Michael was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. However, in 2023, he was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, leaving the case unresolved.
Misleading note, untouched bank accounts, and 3 other chilling details about Alissa Turney's disappearance
1) Alissa’s last known interaction
On May 17, 2001, Alissa Turney disappeared after being picked up from school by her stepfather, Michael Turney. The day was significant as it marked the end of her junior year at Paradise Valley High School. Michael reported that he and Alissa went out for lunch, after which he claimed to have dropped her off at home before he went out again.
This was the last time Alissa was seen. Contradictions in Michael’s timeline and lack of corroborative witnesses have cast doubt on his account. The ambiguity surrounding this last known interaction with her stepfather has fueled speculation and scrutiny, as no one else reported seeing Alissa after that afternoon.
2) Discovery of a misleading note
After Alissa's disappearance, a handwritten note was found in her bedroom, purportedly from Alissa, indicating her intention to run away to California. This note initially led investigators to treat her case as that of a runaway.
However, doubts about the note's authenticity arose when it was considered alongside the fact that Alissa left behind her cell phone, bank cards, and personal belongings—items she likely would have taken if planning to start anew.
In 2023, retired detective Stuart Somershoe mentioned to ABC News:
"When people run away, they don’t leave a note to say where they’re going, because they don’t want to be found."
3) The home search unveils disturbing evidence
In December 2008, a search of Michael Turney’s home revealed a cache of weapons and 26 homemade pipe bombs. This discovery raised bells, but it was unrelated to Alissa’s disappearance but suggested a capacity for premeditated violence.
Additionally, a 98-page manifesto titled "Diary of a Madman Martyr" was found, in which Michael accused the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of being behind Alissa’s disappearance and detailed plans for a mass casualty event. This material pointed to Michael’s alleged unstable mental state and propensity for harmful actions, deeply complicating the story of Alissa’s case.
4) Lack of movement in Alissa’s bank accounts
One of the more concrete indicators that Alissa did not leave of her own volition was the complete inactivity in her bank accounts after her disappearance. The police mentioned to ABC News in 2023 that there was $1800 worth of savings in Alissa's bank, but none of it was used.
Typically, runaways access funds to sustain themselves, but the untouched nature of Alissa’s accounts implied she never had the opportunity to use them, supporting theories that she may have met with harm on the day she vanished.
5) Public campaign and arrest of Michael Turney
Driven by the lack of resolution and growing suspicions, Alissa’s sister, Sarah Turney, launched a social media campaign that brought renewed attention to the case. Her efforts led to Michael Turney’s arrest in 2020 on charges of second-degree murder, decades after Alissa’s disappearance.
The arrest was based on circumstantial evidence pieced together from the ongoing investigation and public pressure. However, in 2023, the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence, and Michael was acquitted, leaving unresolved questions and a continuing quest for justice in the disturbing disappearance of Alissa Turney.
Alissa Turney's story was aired on Oxygen in the show Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney.
