Kriti Mehrotra
Alissa Marie Turney was just 17 years old when she suddenly disappeared following her last day of junior year, only never to be seen or heard from again. It’s no secret that she didn’t get along with her stepfather, Michael Turney, the only parental figure in her life at this point, but she did have a great connection with her blended siblings. This much has been evidenced in ABC’s ’20/20: Since You’ve Been Gone,’ but what’s even more imperative to note is that the latter, especially brothers James and John, hold Michael responsible for this entire ordeal.
James and John Turney Still Vividly Remember How They Came Together as a Family
It was around 1979/1980 that John Turney was born as John Farner to Barbara Lee Farner and his namesake in Redding, California, only to be primarily raised by his loving mother. According to reports, his biological father wasn’t really in the picture, nor did Barbara want him to be, so she had intentionally, without hesitation, given him her maiden name as his last. The young boy did get a paternal figure in the form of Stephen Strahm, as he began dating his mother when he was just 2 years old, especially as the latter stepped up to be there for him more than he ever had to.
The truth is the dynamic between this growing family didn’t change even after they relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, for good, or welcomed Alissa Marie into their world on April 3, 1984. In fact, the little girl became the apple of their eye, with John proudly taking on the role of big brother, which he later shared with Michael Turney, Rhett Turney, and James Turney, too. That’s because when Alissa was just 2½ or 3 years old, Barbara left Stephen following some personal issues to start afresh with a local single father of three sons and once Sheriff Deputy, Michael Turney.
The patriarch eventually adopted both John and Alissa, yet they were already a happy part of the family since there was no half or step ever used between the kids; they were all just siblings. This persisted even when Sarah Turney was born around 1989, and only strengthened by a multifold when Barbara sadly passed away following her battle with cancer on February 28, 1993. By this point, some of the boys had grown up and moved out to pursue further studies, but James postponed it for a year just so he could stick around to help raise his sisters, something he has never regretted.
James and John Turney Testified Against Michael Turney During His Trial
Since the siblings were all extremely tight-knit despite their age gaps, they knew most of what was happening in each other’s lives by simply staying in touch by either talking on the phone or visiting. Therefore, of course, they were aware of Alissa’s tumultuous relationship with her adoptive/stepfather – per records, she constantly accused him of trying to control her. She was allegedly desperate for a sense of freedom and independence, but according to her maternal brother John, this didn’t extend to them – she didn’t want space from her siblings, just her home life with Michael.
Thus, when Alissa suddenly disappeared on May 17, 2001, her brothers knew something was awry, especially as she had made some drastic claims to them in the months preceding the fateful day. According to John’s testimony from when Michael stood trial for the charge of second-degree murder in connection with the vanishing in 2023, there was a period of 2 weeks when his sister actually came to live with him and his roommate, brother Michael Seth Turney. During this short period, he came to know a lot about the restrictions on her, but while he didn’t like his stepfather, he believed Alissa would still be safe there.
However, James did not hold this same opinion by the spring of 2001 because just a few weeks before, Alissa had allegedly asked him to come with her for a walk as she had something to ask. He claimed his sister broke down in front of him, sobbing while telling him that Michael had reportedly acted appropriately with her by placing his hand upon her thighs. She wanted to move in with him as quickly as possible, indicating this was the last straw after all the creepy contract signings, phone call recordings, and surveillance on her, but alas, it never transpired. We should mention that this aspect of James’ testimony was deemed inadmissible in court on the grounds of it being hearsay, and Michael was ultimately acquitted in July 2023.
James and John Turney Mostly Prefer to Lead Private Lives Today
After all the charges against Michael were dismissed, the siblings actually released a statement together through their youngest sister, Sarah Turney’s, podcast called ‘Voice for Justice.’ In the episode titled ‘Family Statement,’ they made it clear that they do not believe justice was served in any way, shape, or form, which is why some of them are going to continue speaking up for Alissa. Sarah does so via her podcast, where James doesn’t shy away from participating in shows like ABC’s ’20/20′ to ensure that her case remains in the limelight in the hopes of one day getting concrete answers about what happened to her.
Coming to their individual standing, both James and John prefer to keep the details of their personal as well as professional experiences well away from the limelight for privacy reasons. However, we do know that while the former is currently based out of Arizona and is a proud family man, the latter is now a resident of California, a happily married father of two boys, and an employee in the oil industry. Both brothers also appear to be fitness and sports enthusiasts who don’t waste any opportunity to spend their free time enjoying themselves with loved ones.
Read More: Barbara Farner and Stephen Strahm: What Happened to Alissa Turney’s Parents?
