Chester Turner Case Study:

On January 26, 1987 Chester Dewayne Turner was arrested for assault with a firearm. There was not enough evidence to convict him and he was set free. His DNA was not taken. He was arrested a total of 21 times before he was convicted of a charge that resulted in DNA being taken. In 2002 he was convicted of rape, and his DNA was taken. It matched the DNA evidence found on twelve rape and murder victims. The first was murdered in March of 1987, less than two months after his January 26, 1987 arrest.

Had Chester Turner’s DNA been taken when he was arrested on January 26, 1987, it is probable that eleven of his victims would still be alive.

Murders linked by DNA to Chester Dewayne Turner:

  1. Diane Johnson – March 9, 1987
  2. Annette Ernest – October 29, 1987
  3. Anita Fishman – January 20, 1989
  4. Regina Washington – September 23, 1989
  5. Debra Williams – November 16, 1992
  6. Mary Edwards – December 16, 1992
  7. Andrea Triplett – April 2,1993
  8. Desarae Jones – May 16, 1993
  9. Natalie Price – February 12, 1995
  10. Mildred Beasley – November 6, 1996
  11. Paula Vance – February 3, 1998
  12. Brenda Bries – April 6, 1998

These are not merely names. They are daughters. Some are mothers. All were loved. Eleven families would have been spared the pain of having a loved one raped and murdered.

To make matters worse, a man named David Jones was wrongfully convicted of three of these murders and served eleven years in prison for crimes he did not commit. He has since been released.

Arrest record of Chester Dewayne Turner:

  1. 1985 LAPD Charge: Force- Great Bodily Injury Likely- Victim unavailable- charges dismissed
  2. 1986 LAPD Charge: Force- Great Bodily Injury Likely- Victim unavailable-charges dismissed
  3. 1986 LAPD Charge: Force- Great Bodily Harm Likely- Dismissed
  4. 1987 Inglewood PD Charge: Force- Great Bodily Harm Likely- Dismissed
  5. 1987 LAPD Charge:Assault with Firearm on Person- Dismissed
  6. 1988 LAPD Charge: Obstruct/Resist Officer-Dismissed
  7. 1991 LAPD Charge: Force-Great Bodily Injury Likely -Pleas to lesser charge of Battery 20 days in jail
  8. 1991 LAPD Charge: Probation Revocation 10 days jail
  9. 1992 LAPD Charge: Probation Revocation- Probation reinstated
  10. 1995 Probation modified- Unk. further
  11. 1991 LAPD Charge: Receiving known stolen property 36 mo probation- 50 days jail
  12. 1995 Probation revoked- 16 months prison
  13. 1991 Disorderly conduct, Solicit lewd act- 60 days jail-36 mo probation
  14. 1992 LAPD Charge: Indecent exposure,Disorderly Conduct, Solicit Lewd Act, Resist Public Officer- Probation
  15. 1994 Salt Lake City PD Charge: Burglary, Assault, Resisting, Interfering- Decline to prosecute.
  16. 1995 LAPD Disorderly Conduct, Solicit Lewd Act, Vehicle Theft, Inflict Injury on spouse - All dismissed except Vehicle Theft
  17. 1996 LAPD Charge:Transport, sell narcotics
  18. 1996 Compton PD Charge: Possess Narcotics- 36 mo probation
  19. 1997 Probation Revoked - 16 mo prison
  20. 1997 Compton PD Charge: Obstruct/Resist Executive Officer, Firefighter Great Bodily Harm, Cruelty to animals- Prison
  21. 1997 Probation Revocation Posess Narcotic in prison, resist executive officer
  22. 2000 LAPD Jail- charge: Rape Dismissed by prosecutor for revocation of parole
  23. 2002 LA Central- 7 counts rape- 8 years prison
  24. 2002 Delano Corrections Charge: Rape, Sexual Penetration W/Force