PHOENIX — A Valley man who was accused of killing his stepdaughter in 2001 is out of jail.
Michael Turney was acquitted on Monday during his trial due to a lack of substantial evidence.
But Alissa Turney's case remains unsolved. So what happens next?
"If they found somebody tomorrow that could prove the case, that couldn't go forward."
12News consulted former prosecutor and current defense attorney Kurt Altman about what options remain on the table to bring Alissa Turney's family the justice they've been advocating for.
He said the best option left is a civil lawsuit.
“The State of Arizona cannot bring homicide charges of any type against the defendant again, Mr. Turney. They can't do that. So a family that's still seeking justice is going to have to turn primarily to the civil courts where there's a totally different standard of proof," said Kurt Altman. "Basically file a lawsuit against the defendant, Mr. Turney, for a wrongful death action."
Turney's defense team filed a Rule 20 motion on Monday in court after hearing the state's case. Alissa's body was never found and there is no crime scene. The lack of physical evidence prompted the state to rely on circumstantial evidence. The judge ultimately sided with the defense and granted the motion, effectively saying there was not enough substantial evidence to support a conviction. The case did not go to the jury.
"Judges are super, super reluctant to take a case away from a jury once they're impaneled. But clearly, this judge, Sam Myers, determined that there just was not enough evidence to even move forward and made that decision. I'm sure it was not a decision that he took lightly," Altman said.
All charges against Turney have now been dismissed.
“Double jeopardy says you cannot be tried twice for the same thing. That doesn't mean the same charge, that really means the same facts. Therefore if they found somebody tomorrow that could prove the case, that couldn't go forward," Altman explained.
Both Phoenix PD and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office have released statements saying they disagree with the judge's decision.
"I'm sure they're disappointed, but there's not much else they can do. I suppose the Phoenix police could look for another suspect. But I also believe that they are pretty positive they had the right guy, so there's not much more that they can do in this case," Altman explained.
Michael Turney was released from jail on Tuesday after spending the past three years behind bars.
“I’ll never stop searching for my daughter," Turney said.
Alissa Turney was last seen in 2001 on her last day of junior year at Paradise Valley High School. Michael Turney was the last known person to see her alive. He said they had an argument the day prior and later, a note was found in her room saying she had left for California.
The case was initially considered a runaway case and was not investigated for years.
Sarah Turney, Alissa's sister, turned to social media in recent years and even launched a podcast to raise awareness about her sister's case. Sarah was confident her father, Michael Turney, was responsible for Alissa's death.
Thanks to her advocacy, in 2020, Michael Turney was charged.
Now, amidst his trial, he's been acquitted.
“It doesn’t feel good because I lost my family," Turney said when asked about his release.
As Turney walks free, the mystery of what happened to Alissa Turney remains. As he left jail, Turney was asked where he believes Alissa is today.
“I’m not gonna answer that question," Turney said, stating he wants to speak to his attorney first.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.