Summary of MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Heather Turner

Overview of Mysterious Death of: Heather Turner

This Crime Junkie episode examines the death of 35-year-old Heather Turner in Dallas, Georgia, on May 4, 2017, and the conflicting evidence surrounding whether her death was a suicide or something more suspicious. What initially appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the bathroom of her home becomes a much more complicated story involving alleged domestic abuse, workplace affairs, a contested marriage, and a trail of contradictory statements from Heather’s husband, Andy Turner.

What Happened the Morning Heather Died

• Deputies from the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from Heather’s husband, Andy Turner.
• Andy said Heather had shot herself in the bathroom and was already on the phone with dispatch when officers arrived.
• Heather was found on the bathroom floor, naked except for towels, with a severe gunshot wound near her left ear.
• Their 8-year-old daughter was nearby and had reportedly heard the loud noise before finding her mother.
• Heather was pronounced dead at the scene.

Scene Details That Raised Concerns

• A notebook was found open with the words: “I’m sorry. I love you.”
• The coroner noticed a few things that didn’t sit right:
  • Blood spatter patterns that seemed unusual
  • A darker area on the wall that looked possibly cleaned
  • A smaller wound on the right side of Heather’s head
  • No bullet found at the scene
• The gun, a revolver owned by Heather, was discovered near the toilet.

The Investigation and Autopsy

• The coroner ordered an autopsy rather than immediately ruling the death a suicide.
• The medical examiner later determined:
  • The bullet entered the left side of Heather’s head
  • The bullet was lodged in a bone in her skull
  • There were multiple skull fractures
  • There were no additional visible injuries
  • No stippling or muzzle burn was noted
• The autopsy report supported a self-inflicted wound, but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation still classified the manner of death as undetermined while the wider investigation continued.

Andy Turner’s Account

Andy told deputies and later repeated in his book that:

• He and Heather had spent the night together in what he called “husband and wife time”
• He fell asleep with his head on Heather’s back
• He heard a loud pop, ran to the bathroom, and found her on the floor
• He claimed there were no warning signs and that their marriage was essentially happy

However, investigators and witnesses paint a much more troubled picture.

Allegations of Abuse and a Strained Marriage

Multiple people around Heather described a relationship marked by coercion, fear, and control:

• Heather reportedly told coworkers that Andy had been physically abusive
• She allegedly said he had broken her ribs years earlier
• She had stopped sleeping in the same bed as him and was using another room in the house
• One coworker described an incident where Andy cornered Heather in a break room at work
• Heather reportedly told several people she planned to leave Andy very soon

Heather’s Emails Suggest a Volatile Home Life

An email Heather sent to coworker Joel “Rob” Hebert described:

• Andy taking her keys
• Calling her degrading names
• Accusing her of having an affair
• Saying he would “bury” her before signing divorce papers
• Keeping her up until 3 a.m.
• Locking her in a room
• Alternating between affection and cruelty

Rob said Heather confided that Andy hit her, forced himself on her, and once searched for suicide-related information on the computer.

The Affair at Work

Heather worked as a clerk at the Paulding County Courthouse, where she reportedly became involved with Rob Hebert.

• Co-workers confirmed an affair existed, at minimum emotionally and possibly physically
• The judge reportedly found out and met with Heather and Rob the day before Heather died
• They were told to resign or be fired
• Heather told people she planned to leave Andy that weekend

The show also notes that Andy’s public account of the affair changed over time:

• At the scene, he said Heather was being fired for having an affair
• Later, in his book, he reframed it as an issue involving personal emails and harassment

Questions About the Marriage

A major complication in the story is whether Heather and Andy’s marriage was even legally valid.

• Heather reportedly told others that Andy forged a pastor’s signature on their marriage certificate
• Andy gave a different account, saying their wedding was informal and paperwork was handled later
• Under Georgia law, the episode notes that a valid marriage requires both an officiant and a ceremony
• Heather also reportedly told the judge the marriage was fake

The transcript presents this as a significant unresolved issue, not a fully explained one.

Andy’s First Marriage and Pattern of Behavior

The episode also revisits Andy’s first marriage to Mindy, who compiled a large binder of documentation for investigators.

That binder reportedly included:

• Allegations of abuse
• Claims of multiple affairs
• Emails between Andy and Heather
• Letters Heather wrote to Andy early in their relationship

The emails included disturbing messages about Mindy, including violent fantasies and cruelty. The episode suggests this reflects a broader pattern of manipulation and abuse.

Andy’s Father’s Role

Andy’s father, Curtis Turner, is presented as someone who repeatedly supported Andy and discouraged women from leaving.

• Mindy allegedly called Curtis after an abusive incident
• He reportedly told her, “the ministry is bigger than your problems”
• Curtis also wrote a letter to a custody evaluator asking for help preserving the family’s image
• In response to media outreach, Curtis insisted Heather was not murdered and ended the message with a Bible verse reference

The 911 Call, the Alarm, and Other Oddities

One of the stranger unresolved details is a mysterious alarm:

• An informant later claimed Andy said he opened a window and an alarm went off
• There is indeed a faint alarm sound on the 911 recording
• The episode says it is unclear what triggered it or whether authorities ever identified it

That detail becomes one of several unexplained pieces that keep the case open in the minds of Heather’s supporters.

Physical Evidence That Complicates the Case

The forensic evidence is mixed:

• Heather’s DNA was found on the trigger
• Gunshot residue tests on Heather’s hands were positive
• Andy’s hands tested negative for residue
• However, investigators asked if Andy had washed his hands, and he gave inconsistent answers
• Andy also changed out of his bloody shirt, which was never collected

So while there is evidence supporting suicide, there are also procedural gaps and suspicious circumstances that keep the case controversial.

After Heather’s Death

The episode closes by showing that Andy quickly moved on:

• A week after Heather died, Andy met 26-year-old Christy Chupp
• Christy says he presented himself as a grieving widower who needed help with childcare
• They later became romantically involved
• Christy alleges Andy was abusive toward her too
• She eventually filed for a protective order in 2018, though she later recanted some of those allegations under pressure
• Andy later moved on again and married his current wife, Kelly

Christy also claims Andy told a bizarre story implicating her in Heather’s death, though the episode makes clear that:

• She was never considered a suspect
• The story does not fit the physical evidence
• The account is uncorroborated

Main Takeaways

• Heather Turner’s death is not a simple closed case
• Officially, the death remains undetermined
• The autopsy supports suicide, but the surrounding evidence raises serious questions
• Multiple witnesses described a pattern of abuse, coercion, and control by Andy Turner
• Andy’s shifting accounts, the controversial marriage history, and the office affair all add layers of doubt
• The episode frames Heather’s death as part of a larger pattern of intimate partner violence and manipulation

Resources Mentioned

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the episode recommends:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Text START to 88788
• WomensLaw.org: State-specific legal information on protective orders, custody, housing, and more

Note on the Episode Structure

This episode ends as a Part 1 cliffhanger, with the hosts saying that additional claims, new testimony, and more unusual evidence will be explored in Part 2.