Three dead in apparent murder-suicide

CHIPLEY, Fla. — Distraught and apparently frustrated over a broken truck and lawn mower Tuesday, police believe an angry John Henry Turner Jr., went inside his mobile home at Spanish Trail Park, picked up his newly-purchased .12-gauge shotgun and blew a hole in his television.

If it had stopped there, yellow crime scene tape would not surround the residence and another one nearby. Forensic technicians would not be gathering evidence. Neighbors may have been shaken, but not stunned and baffled.

Three people would not be dead.

But it did not stop there. Based on a Washington County Sheriff’s Department investigation and interviews with neighbors, investigators believe this is what happened:

Turner’s girlfriend Roselyn Jackson, 50, who also lived at the residence, confronted Turner after he shot the television. Three children between the ages of 5 and 11, believed to be Jackson’s grandchildren, were present. They fled the home and began running to another neighbor’s home when they heard a gunshot and a scream. Police believe that’s when Turner shot Jackson and killed her.

He then apparently fired two shots into his broken truck and walked next door, shooting and killing his neighbor, 18-year-old Stephanie Diane Hysmith. He then apparently returned to his residence, set either two or three fires inside, and killed himself.

Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock said investigators are trying to find a motive other than Turner being upset over his broken truck and lawn mower, which led to him being unable to work. A magnetic sign on the green Chevrolet pickup outside Turner’s residence read “Complete Maintenance Lawn Services.”

Haddock said Turner’s only arrests in Florida were for Driving Under the Influence and Driving While License Suspended. His only apparent violent criminal history involved an arrest for armed robbery in California, but Haddock was unsure how long ago the arrest occurred. Haddock said investigators are still trying to piece together Turner’s personal history for clues that could shed light on the killings.

Jerry Snell, who lives three mobile homes down from where Turner lived, said he was startled Tuesday evening when his next door neighbor knocked on his door and asked to use the phone.

According to Snell, the three children had run to his neighbor’s mobile home and locked the door behind them and said “Grandpa just shot grandma.”

Snell’s neighbor then called 911.

“He ran in here and said the children were over at his place,” Snell said. “He said they ran in and were saying (Turner) told them if they didn’t want to get killed, they needed to go over to (the neighbor’s home).”

Snell said Turner and Jackson were known to “fuss” and that he often heard raised voices coming from their mobile home. He also said Turner was known to drink.

Haddock said the preliminary investigation has not turned up any indication of friction between Turner and Hysmith. Haddock also said Turner purchased the shotgun from a private individual within the last two weeks.