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Facts of the Crime:
James Daniel Turner had been in jail in Newberry County, South Carolina, on a violation of probation charge. The sheriff’s office assigned him to work on various tasks. He was considered trustworthy, which gave him special privileges such as unrestricted access to most of the sheriff’s office and keys to vehicles in their parking lots. On September 28, 2005, Turner escaped from the Newberry County Jail in a stolen Newberry County Office Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). The SUV was found the next day in a parking lot in St. Johns County, Florida, by local employees. Turner had left his identification card and crack cocaine in the vehicle.
On the morning of September 30, 2005, Turner was spotted by two guests and several housekeepers at the Comfort Inn in St. Augustine. He had passed by Renee Howard, her four children, granddaughter, and Stacia Raybon, when on they were on their way to breakfast at the motel. After breakfast, Howard drove her son to work and daughter to school. Two of the other children joined her in the truck. When Howard returned to the motel, Raybon came downstairs to help her with the children. She saw Turner standing outside their room on her way down. Howard, Raybon, and the three children returned to the motel room to prepare for checking out.
Raybon was preparing bottles for the children when Turner entered their room. He struck Howard first and then attacked Raybon by stabbing her in the elbow. Turner saw Howard move back towards the door entrance. Meanwhile, Raybon grabbed her purse and locked herself in the bathroom. Raybon heard hitting noises and children screaming outside the bathroom. Turner tried to enter the bathroom several times. Raybon asked him to give her one of the kids. He demanded money, so Raybon gave him several credit cards. Turner allowed one of the children to enter the bathroom with Raybon. She pleaded with Turner to not hurt her or the children. He told her to wait 10 minutes before leaving the room. Turner left one minute later, and Raybon came out of the bathroom to find Howard dead. The pathologist who conducted the autopsy concluded that Howard died due to shock and blood loss from 15 stab wounds.
Raybon attempted to call 911 from the hotel room, but was unable to connect. One of the housekeepers allowed Raybon to use her cell phone. When the police arrived, Raybon provided a description of Turner and Howard’s truck, which was now missing.
Deputy Graham T. Harris spotted the truck, with Turner driving it, five miles away from the Comfort Inn. He approached the truck and turned on his flashing lights, but the truck went in reverse, rear-ending the front end of Harris’s patrol car. Turner pulled away from Harris’s car, but then began to hit the driver’s side. Harris accelerated in an attempt to escape, but Turner continued to hit him from behind. Eventually, the truck hit a guard rail on the Deep Creek Bridge. Turner exited the truck and jumped off of the bridge into the creek below.
Multiple deputies arrived at the bridge, bringing a search canine with them. The dog found Turner in the creek. Turner would not comply with the deputies’ commands to surrender; so, the canine was ordered to attack Turner. Turner attempted to drown the dog, but eventually surrendered.
Turner was sentenced to death in St. Johns County on April 24, 2008.
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