Bio

Edwin Hart Turner was born in 1973. Little is known about his early life, but it is reported that he had a troubled childhood. He grew up in Mississippi and faced difficulties that led to mental health challenges later in life. His family history raised some concerns, as there were indications of mental illness among his relatives.

When Turner was 18, he attempted suicide by putting a rifle in his mouth and pulling the trigger. This incident left him with serious facial disfigurements. Following this, he spent some time in a mental health hospital to receive treatment.

Turner's struggles with mental health continued into adulthood. He had been diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants. Despite these challenges, not much is documented about his life before the events that led to his arrest in December 1995.

On December 12, 1995, Turner, along with an accomplice, decided to rob convenience stores in Carroll County after consuming alcohol and drugs. This decision marked the beginning of his criminal activity, which would culminate in significant consequences.

Murder Story

On December 13, 1995, Edwin Hart Turner, along with his friend Paul Stewart, committed a series of violent robberies in Carroll County, Mississippi. They targeted two gas stations and used rifles to carry out their crimes.

The first murder occurred at the Mims Turkey Village Truck Stop, where Turner shot Eddie Brooks, who was working as the store clerk. After failing to open the cash register, Turner became enraged and shot Brooks at close range, killing him. They left the first gas station empty-handed.

The pair then moved to Mims One Stop, where they encountered Everett Curry, a prison guard pumping gas. Turner ordered Curry to the ground at gunpoint and shot him in the head while he was pleading for his life. After committing these murders, Turner and Stewart stole about $400 and returned to Turner's house. They ate a meal together, which included shrimp, and then went to sleep.

The next day, law enforcement arrived at Turner's home, where they found weapons connected to the murders. Witnesses had already described seeing a man with a towel around his head, a detail that helped police identify Turner, who was known to wear a towel because of facial disfigurement from a previous suicide attempt. Stewart later confessed to the crimes and pleaded guilty in exchange for a life sentence. He provided testimony against Turner during the trial.

Turner was arrested the day after the murders and charged with two counts of capital murder. In February 1997, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Following various appeals claiming mental health issues, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld his death sentence. Edwin Hart Turner was executed by lethal injection on February 8, 2012.