Inset: Di Morriea Turner (Delaware County Jail). Background: The location in Muncie, Indiana, where Turner attempted to push his girlfriend in front of a train (Google Maps).
A 25-year-old man from Indiana has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for trying to kill his girlfriend by throwing her in front of an approaching train. Delaware County Circuit Judge John M. Feick sentenced Di Morriea Turner to 36 years in state prison for his attempt to murder the then-17-year-old girl.
In July, a jury took less than an hour to find Turner guilty of several felony charges, which included attempted murder, aggravated battery, and domestic battery with a deadly weapon, as reported by the Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The judge acknowledged that Turner had already served 1,714 days in custody.
In his sentencing, Feick highlighted several aggravating factors. He pointed out that Turner is also facing two more criminal cases involving the same victim, was out on bond during the attempted murder, and has a prior record of similar offenses against minors, including battery on someone under 14 and domestic battery witnessed by a child. Feick also noted Turner had received nine incident reports while in jail.
“I’m very pleased with this outcome,” County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman remarked in a statement after the sentence. “This decision sends a clear message to everyone in this county that Domestic Violence is unacceptable.”
In a statement announcing Turner’s sentencing, Hoffman’s office noted that the trial evidence clearly showed that the defendant “pushed or threw his girlfriend in front of or into a moving train with the intent to kill her.”
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.”
