Bio

Jessel Turner was born on June 7, 1960. He grew up in Texas, but specific details about his early life are not widely known. He attended school and completed up to the 11th grade. Turner's upbringing and experiences during his childhood may have shaped his later life, although not much information is available regarding his family background or social environment.

Before his criminal activities, Turner worked as a truck driver. His job involved transporting goods across distances, which indicated he was likely familiar with various places in the region. However, we do not have details about his personality or what his interests were outside of work.

In the early 1980s, Turner started to have violent encounters. His life took a significant turn as he started engaging in criminal behavior. He was involved in various instances of robbery and violence, ultimately leading to serious criminal charges later on.

By February 1986, at the age of 25, Turner's downward spiral continued when he committed a series of violent crimes in Houston, Texas. His actions during this period marked a major turning point in his life, leading him ultimately to a conviction and sentence for murder.

Murder Story

On February 10, 1986, Jessel Turner committed a murder in Harris County, Texas. On that night, he engaged in a violent crime spree. He had already kidnapped two women, assaulted a man, and robbed him before he turned his focus on Charles Hunter, a 37-year-old taxi cab driver. Turner entered Hunter's cab and an argument erupted after Hunter refused to accept a stolen ring as payment for the fare.

During this dispute, Turner shot Hunter with a .22 caliber pistol. After shooting him, Turner took Hunter's wallet and left his body in the street. Just two hours later, Turner was arrested by the police. He was apprehended while driving a car he had stolen that night, which belonged to one of the women he had previously kidnapped.

Upon arrest, Turner claimed he did not know what he had done, stating that it felt like he was in a "crazy state." However, police found key evidence against him. Witnesses identified him as the last person to enter Hunter's cab before the murder. Forensic evidence tied him to the shooting, including a fingerprint from the cab and the murder weapon found in his vehicle.

Turner faced trial for capital murder in 1987, during which the prosecution presented evidence and witness testimonies that established his guilt. The jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Throughout his appeals, Turner maintained that he did not intend to kill Hunter and argued about the evidence presented during the trial. All his appeals were denied.

Eventually, Jessel Turner was executed by lethal injection on September 22, 1997, for the murder of Charles Hunter.