Albert Turner Update. . .

Above is an updated picture of Albert Turner who viciously murdered his wife and mother-in-law the day after Christmas last year.  According to America's Most Wanted, the Turner crime was to be profiled again on AMW's 1000th episode this past weekend, but an alert audience saw John Walsh on the Regis and Kelly show last Friday morning discussing the case and alerted authorities when they realized that the person they knew as "Joshua James" was actually Albert Turner.

All I can say is thank goodness this animal has been caught.  His children, of which some were witness to the grisly murders, can sleep well knowing that their father is now behind bars.  Although this is the beginning to the end of a very sad situation for the kids and Betty Jo and Keitha's family, I expect that the long road to justice will be paved with emotional potholes the whole way home.

Since some of the children were witness to the crime, it is possible that they may end up testifying against their own father should he plead in such fashion as to require a trial by jury.  This, I hope, will not come to pass.  We can only hope that Albert Turner is man enough to admit his guilt, accept the sentence decided by the court and not involve his children in the emotional trauma of reliving the events in court.

But, on the other hand, how would this affect a sentence of death in the state of Texas?  Could Albert Turner agree to plea down to a lesser charge, avoiding a death penalty sentence, and accepting life in prison without parole?  I suspect that if the case went to trial, the death penalty would be inevitable, but with a plea bargain?  Who knows what might happen?  And would the children want to be involved in a trial that held the life of their father in the balance of justice.

For the children's sake, I wish for the fastest and least emotional resolution to this tragedy, a tragedy that could have fully been afforded had Albert Turner made the right decision.  The time to pay is now Albert Turner, and may God have more mercy on your soul than you had for your wife, children and in-laws.