South-Carolina
South Carolina father filmed finding 5-year-old son’s body in 1989 charged with his murder
Investigators long thought a 5-year-old South Carolina boy found strangled in 1989 was killed by his father and stepmother. But it took 34 years of scientific advancement to link microscopic fibers found on the boy’s shirt to a ligature that investigators located at the couple’s home, a sheriff said.
Victor Lee Turner, 69, and Megan R. Turner, 63, have been charged with murder in the death of 5-year-old Justin Turner, Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday.
The boy’s body was found inside a cabinet in a camper behind the Turner home in March 1989.
Investigators immediately thought the killing scene had been staged and caught the couple in lies, including that he had gotten on the school bus the morning he disappeared, Lewis said. Megan Turner was charged with murder shortly after the boy’s death, but prosecutors dropped the charge, with the condition that they could refile it if more evidence emerged.
Scientific advancements, combined with evidence collected in 1989, was the push needed, the sheriff said.
Tiny fibers from a ligature that investigators found at the home shortly after the boy’s disappearance were found to match those found on the boy’s shirt, sheriff’s deputies said in the arrest warrants.
“That enabled us to tie in the murder weapon that we believe was used to strangle Justin to clothing and fabric on his clothing at the time of his death,” Lewis said.
Investigators suspected the Turners from the beginning, based not only on the ligature, but the couple’s behavior. Other possible evidence was that food from a dinner the family had eaten the night before Justin was reported missing was found during an autopsy to be only partially digested. Investigators said that indicated the boy was killed not long after he ate. The couple said the last time they saw Justin alive was the next morning as they got him ready for school.
The child’s body was found two days after he was reported missing. Just as a massive search was getting underway, Victor Turner entered the camper as a TV camera filmed him and seconds later said he found the body among the many cabinets and drawers in the camper, deputies said.
Turner didn’t check to see if the boy was alive, instead backing out and saying someone had hurt him, according to the statement.
“He looked dead. I could feel something was wrong with him. I did not touch him,” Turner later told investigators.
Before the body was discovered, a witness said Turner asked a law enforcement official what might happen to a family member who had harmed the boy, deputies said.
Deputies said the couple do not have lawyers. They are being held without bail at the Berkeley County jail after being arrested at their home in Laurens County, about a three-hour drive away.
The sheriff said deputies gave them ample time to talk during the ride after reading them their rights, but they chose not to.
“I never got one phone call — one phone call — from his daddy or his stepmother. ‘What are y’all doing about my son’s death?’ Not one. What does that tell you?” Lewis said.
Several members of the boy’s family were at the news conference, including Amy Parsons, who was 8 when her cousin died. She said while many of her relatives grieved and cried and demanded justice — including the boy’s mother, who has since died — the Turners moved away and disconnected.
“Put these two people where they deserve to be because they walked for 34 years,” Parsons said. “They had freedom for 34 years while our family suffered.”
PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — A deputy with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office was arrested by the Easley Police Department over the past weekend on charges including driving under the influence, hit & run and possession with intent to distribute narcotics.
Sheriff Tommy Blankenship promptly terminated 44-year-old Joseph Russell Williamson’s employment after reviewing initial information from the arrest.
Blankenship addressed Pickens County citizens directly on social media regarding the incident, emphasizing his commitment to transparency. The sheriff said he personally went to the Easley Police Department on the night of the arrest to review charges and available evidence.
“Based on what I observed, I made the decision to terminate this deputy’s employment with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office that same evening,” Blankenship said.
The arrest began Saturday, May 2, when an Easley Police officer observed a Ford F-150 matching a description for a hit-and-run on SC-8 at Fleetwood Drive in Easley. Police began to investigate the vehicle and its occupant, later identified as Williamson.
During a search, officers realized Williamson was a Pickens County deputy and requested a supervisor to respond to the scene. Police then conducted a DUI investigation, during which multiple physiological signs of impairment were observed. Based on his observations and sobriety tests, it was determined that Williamson’s ability to operate a vehicle was impaired, and he was arrested for DUI.
After Williamson was transported to the police department, officers located controlled substances in Williamson’s truck. These substances were secured for testing.
Williamson was charged with DUI, hit and run of an attended vehicle with property damage, possession with intent to distribute Schedule II narcotics and possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances.
Citations were also issued for driving offenses, police said.
Sheriff Blankenship emphasized the requirement for accountability within his office and mentioned he also requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conduct an additional investigation to ensure thoroughness and a lack of bias.
Blankenship offered an apology to the Easley Police Department and the citizens of Pickens County, stating, “Situations like this damage the very trust that we work hard every day to build and I don’t take that lightly.”
Williamson was booked into the Pickens County Detention Center following his arrest.
He has since been released on a $23,517 bond.
Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks had a nice last seven days on the recruiting ground as they have landed three players and in the top five of some elite talent. Here’s everything you missed recruiting wise from last week and an updated look at the Gamecocks’ 2027 class.
Judah Lancaster, the team’s most recent commit, is a 6-foot-5 and 230+ pound tight end from Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee. His weight and frame are the type of build power four teams covet. Having a great tight end can create mismatches for modern college football offenses. Should Lancaster become that level of player, future Gamecock quarterbacks should be excited for the weapon at their disposal.
South Carolina found its highest rated recruit of the 2027 class so far in the form of big 314 pound defensive lineman John Archer. The top ten player in the state of North Carolina is a “disruptive” interior force on a defensive line. Archer has the potential to be a star at the next level given the right situation. Should he reach his potential in Columbia, the Gamecocks would have a force along the interior of their defense that could help them with a playoff push.
DJ Huggins is a 5-foot-10 and 165 pound wide out from Kennesaw, Georgia. The Harrison High School star held offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Boston College, Georgia, and others before ultimately choosing South Carolina.
South Carolina’s 2027 Class
Archer, Huggins, and Lancaster join a class that features safety Jernard Albright, quarterback Jerry Meyer III, and offensive lineman Will Endicott. A class that was ranked outside the top 60 just a few days ago, is now squarely inside the top 40. Shane Beamer and his team aren’t nearly finished with this class and will be looking to find themselves once again inside the top 25 recruiting rankings when this cycle finishes.
The South Carolina coaching staff has their eyes set on a few key targets as the summer recruiting period picks up. Four-star running backs David “Tre” Segarra and Brayden Tyson, four-star safety Jayden Aparicio-Bailey, and four-star edge rusher James Pace III all listed the Gamecocks among their final five schools for this cycle.
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South-Carolina
Former South Carolina wing, Lexington native, lands at new program via transfer portal
Former Gamecock basketball wing Cam Scott has found a new home. Following a second offseason in which the Lexington, South Carolina native entered the transfer portal, the Temple Owls have announced that Scott has signed with the program.
A former five-star prospect (though he was a four-star by the time he signed), Scott’s South Carolina basketball career did not go the way many envisioned when he flipped from the Texas Longhorns in the class of 2024.
During his high school days, Scott was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in the Palmetto State. He also set numerous records at Lexington High School. He signed with Texas before eventually winding up with the Gamecocks.
Scott then spent two years in garnet and black. As a freshman, he struggled mightily, averaging 2.5 points while shooting 27.8% from the field and 17.8% from 3-point range. After entering and withdrawing from the transfer portal, he returned to USC for a second season. However, Scott never played again, choosing to redshirt the 2025-2026 campaign.
Because of the redshirt, Scott will have three years left to play at Temple.
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Scott joins six former teammates in finding new homes via the transfer portal. All seven of South Carolina’s transfers this cycle have dropped down to mid-major programs.
Forward EJ Walker (Western Kentucky), forward Jordan Butler (Furman), forward Elijah Strong (St. Louis), post player Christ Essandoko (Bowling Green), guard Eli Ellis (Charlotte), and wing Abu Yarmah (Longwood) have all revealed commitments this transfer cycle.
Following another tough season in Columbia, South Carolina will have a very different roster next year. With five graduates and seven transfer portal defections (plus multiple staff changes), the Gamecocks nearly experienced complete turnover.
So far, six players have pledged their services to Lamont Paris’ team out of the transfer portal. Kory Mincy (George Mason), Camden Heide (Texas), Aleksas Bieliauskas (Wisconsin), Shane Blakeney (Drexel), Jakub Necas (Duquesne), and Davion Hannah (Alabama) have committed as of the time of this writing.
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