An Indiana man, aged 25, has been sentenced to 36 years in prison for attempting to murder his girlfriend by throwing her in front of a moving train. Di Morriea Turner received his sentence from Delaware County Circuit Judge John M. Feick on Wednesday. The victim, who was 17 at the time of the incident, survived the attack.
In July, a jury found Turner guilty of multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, aggravated battery, and domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon. The deliberation lasted less than an hour, according to the Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Turner was credited with 1,714 days served.
Judge Feick, in his sentencing order, highlighted several aggravating factors. Turner is currently involved in two other criminal cases with the same victim. He was out on bond during the attempted murder and has a history of similar offenses involving minors. These include battery on a person under 14 years old and domestic battery committed in the presence of a child. During his incarceration, Turner received nine incident reports.
County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman expressed satisfaction with the verdict. He stated that the outcome should serve as a warning that domestic violence will not be tolerated in the county.
The prosecutor’s office, in a statement announcing Turner’s sentence, said the trial evidence clearly showed that Turner “pushed or threw his girlfriend in front of or into a moving train in an attempt to kill her.”
The incident occurred on June 19, 2019, when Muncie Police Department officers responded to a call about a pedestrian hit by a train. Upon arrival, they found two injured individuals – Turner, with injuries to his knees and elbows, and his unresponsive girlfriend, bleeding from her head.
Turner was taken to a hospital, while his girlfriend was airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis due to the severity of her injuries. She underwent several procedures, including facial reconstructive surgery.
While in the hospital, Turner agreed to speak with investigators. He claimed that he and the victim had been arguing because she suspected him of infidelity. He said he grabbed her as a train approached to prevent her from being on the other side of the train. However, the victim, when able to speak, could not recall the incident. Two station employees who witnessed the incident provided statements to the police, contradicting Turner’s account.
Surveillance footage of the attack showed the victim attempting to escape from Turner before he grabbed her and moved her directly in front of the moving train, causing injuries to both of them.