(#3) Alissa's Stepfather, Michael Turney, Was The Last Reported Person To Hear From Her
Alissa's younger sister, Sarah Turney, walked home from school on May 17, 2001, when her father failed to pick her up. He was also not at their family home. Sarah went to a friend's house, where Michael Turney finally came to get her and informed her that he couldn't get in touch with Alissa. The two of them searched for her and attempted to contact her, but with no luck.
About a week later, Mike claimed to have received a call from Alissa, who allegedly told him not to look for her. If the call did take place, it marked the last time anyone ever heard from Alissa.
Mike did eventually reveal that he took her out of school early on the day she vanished. The two had lunch together, but the outing ended in an argument. If true, this interaction makes Mike Turney the last person to see Alissa before she disappeared.
(#10) Alissa’s Disappearance Wasn’t Investigated Until Five Years After The Fact
One of the reasons Alissa's case is still a mystery is the massive delay between her disappearance and the start of the investigation itself. Alissa has been missing since May 17, 2001, but investigators wouldn't look into her case until 2006.
Alissa was only 17 when she vanished, and a note in Alissa's handwriting was allegedly left behind, so local law enforcement assumed she ran away and would eventually return home.
Years later, Alissa's sister, Sarah, would claim the police didn't seem to take Alissa's disappearance seriously. A formal investigation into her disappearance was finally initiated in 2008.
(#5) Mike Refused To Turn Over Video Footage From The Day Alissa Disappeared
Although Mike Turney's in-home surveillance system covered a large portion of the home, he did not comply with police requests to turn over the footage from the day of Alissa's disappearance. He claims to have independently reviewed the tapes and found nothing important, frustrating investigators. He did, however, send them footage of Alissa with her boyfriend and other young men, asserting they might be suspects.
Will Andersen, a detective with the Phoenix police department, went on record to discuss the missing tape:
Even if you think it shows nothing criminal, it shows me what she's wearing. It shows me how her hair was styled. It shows her walking out of the home, which would direct my attention somewhere other than that home. His opinion of nothing is different than my opinion of nothing. I want that tape.
(#2) Alissa’s Family Initially Thought She Ran Away
Alissa's disappearance left much confusion in its wake. She left all of her personal belongings behind, including her cellphone, and she never cashed out the $1,800 in her bank account. She did not call anyone or contact any of her friends. Her stepfather claimed to have found a note she left in her room stating she had run away from home and was moving to California.
Authorities did not question the note, although a runaway leaving all of their possessions and cash behind is highly unusual behavior. Alissa's family was shocked that she would leave them, but police declined to investigate further.
(#8) Alissa's Sister, Sarah Turney, Believes Mike Is Responsible For Alissa's Disappearance
Sarah Turney was only 13 when her sister disappeared, but she never felt as though the facts of the case lined up. When police discovered evidence linking her father, Mike, to Alissa's disappearance, she initially didn't believe them. In her own words, the detectives told Sarah this:
We think your father did it. Your house is being raided... Also, your father probably molested your sister.
Sarah has been a vocal advocate for her sister ever since, and she now believes that her father is likely responsible for whatever happened to Alissa.
(#12) Sarah Set Up A Website Dedicated To Seeking Justice For Alissa
Sarah Turney has never given up hope that justice will be served for her sister. She set up the site JusticeForAlissa.com, which is dedicated to Alissa's memory and the ongoing search for her whereabouts. Sarah wants her father, Mike, tried for Alissa's demise and created the site in hopes of pressuring the Phoenix Police Department to charge him.
If you have any information pertaining to the disappearance of Alissa Turney, you can reach out to Sarah at JusticeForAlissa.com.
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About This Tool
In 2020, a bizarre disappearance that happened 19 years ago has once again attracted widespread attention on social networks. Why has such an old case been frequently mentioned recently? Nearly 20 years after 17-year-old Alissa Turney disappeared from her home in Phoenix in 2001, her stepfather, Michael Turney, was accused by a grand jury of murdering the girl.
At first, the police thought this was just an ordinary runaway of a teenager because the girl left a note, they only record Alissa Turney as a missing person and did almost nothing else. Until many years later, many suspicious clues led the police to investigate the case again. The random tool lists 12 things about the true crime.
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