John Jefferson
Left: Jackie Turner (Kenton County Jail). Right: Amanda Turner (WCPO).
It started with an argument on Facebook about parenting skills and ended with a murder involving an entire family of suspects and a victim who had nothing to do with the spat. Now one of the shooters who was just 17 years old at the time of the incident will spend decades behind bars.
A Kentucky judge on Monday sentenced Jackie Turner, now 18, to 30 years in prison for the shooting death of Seth Burns in Kenton County. The murder was a family affair as it also involved his mother, 38-year-old Amanda Turner, older brother, 21-year-old Xxavion Turner, and two sisters.
Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the posts related to “insults about children and parenting skills, or lack thereof.” The dispute was between Xxavion Turner, 21, and his ex-girlfriend, who was now reportedly dating Burns.
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According to criminal complaints obtained by Law&Crime, Amanda Turner drove her two sons, whom she knew were carrying guns, and two daughters to a home so they could fight Xxavion Turner’s ex-girlfriend and other people on Aug. 25, 2023. Xxavion Turner sent his ex-girlfriend a picture of a Google map showing they were en route and ready to fight. When they arrived, Xxavion Turner allegedly fired a shot in the air and at the 23-year-old Burns. His younger brother also shot Burns, which was believed to be the fatal wound.
Amanda Turner then drove her sons away from the scene to “avoid police detection,” the complaint said. Witnesses rushed Burns to a nearby fire station and he was airlifted to a hospital where he later died.
Last week, Amanda Turner pleaded guilty to facilitation of murder, riot and unlawful transaction with a minor. Prosecutors are reportedly requesting she receive a 12-and-a-half-year prison term when she’s sentenced in November. Jackie Turner pleaded guilty to murder in July.
At the hearing last week, she admitted to driving her sons to what she called a “girl fight,” the Enquirer reported. She also said she encouraged the fight in text messages. Part of the incident was reportedly caught on a neighbor’s Ring camera, which showed the Turner family, along with Xxavion Turner’s current girlfriend all streaming out of a vehicle and walking up to the home.
Burns’ family said Monday that he had nothing to do with the confrontation.
“My son literally was an innocent victim in this,” his father Michael Burns said, according to Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO. “He didn’t know this man, he didn’t know anybody in that family. He happened to be in the car with his girlfriend when she got the call that they were on their way.”
Kenton County Circuit Judge Kathleen Lape said the whole ordeal was senseless.
“It was dumb,” said Lape, WCPO reported. “This is absolutely dumb.”
Amanda Turner’s two daughters, Keavier Turner and Lakera Hughes, pleaded guilty to riot and unlawful transaction with a minor. They will be sentenced in October and November, respectively. Xxavion Turner, who is charged with murder, is set for trial Nov. 13.
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