A former Playboy model who is accused of murdering a doctor could be facing up to 25 years in prison after she submitted an Alford plea to the court.
Kelsey Turner, 25, was arrested on March 21 2019 in Stockton, California, and charged with the murder of 71-year-old psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Burchard after his body was found in the trunk of an abandoned car.
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The murder came to light after a motorist saw the abandoned vehicle dumped in Nevada and alerted the authorities.
Inside, they found the doctor’s decomposing body and a post mortem determined he had been bludgeoned to death with a blunt instrument.
Authorities say Turner and Dr Burchard had known each other for several years and had previously been in a relationship.
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Police reports showed the pair had known each other for around two years and that the doctor had been helping her pay her bills.
However, police say, the relationship soured when Burchard visited Turner in Las Vegas in March 2019 to tell her he would no longer be giving her money.
Turner’s ex-partner Jon Kennison was also arrested and pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy - he was given a sentence of 18 to 45 years in prison.
While their former housemate Diana Pena pleaded guilty to accessory to commit murder.
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On Wednesday 9 November, Turner gave an Alford plea in court, which means she doesn’t admit guilt but accepts that there is enough evidence to lead to a conviction.
She is due to be sentenced in January next year and is facing between 10 and 25 years in jail, Law & Crime reported.
Dr Burchard’s fiancee Judy Earp told Access Hollywood that she believed the doctor had given as much as $300,000 to Turner over the years.
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Earp, who was in a relationship with Burchard for 17 years, told the outlet that she had warned him about Turner and other young women who may have been taking advantage of him, but says he simply told her. 'That’s OK, I can afford it'.
Earp has stated to the media that she believes Turner is responsible for her late partner’s death.
Speaking to Fox, Earp said: “I believe 100 percent she is guilty. My analogy of the whole thing is that Kennison may have been the gun, but she pulled the trigger.”
She went on to say that she doesn’t believe a 10-year sentence is long enough.
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“She’s been there for three and and a half, and she’ll get credit for that another six years. I don’t think it is going to reform her at all. I don’t think she’s reformable,” she said.
Topics: News, True Crime
Claire Reid