The After Show: Since You've Been Gone

Summary

20/20 After Show: "Since You've Been Gone" – A Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: 20/20 After Show: Since You've Been Gone
• Host: Debra Roberts, ABC News
• Release Date: July 21, 2025
• Description: This episode delves into the two-decade-old true crime mystery of Alyssa Turney's disappearance in Phoenix, Arizona. It covers investigative twists, including a false confession, discovery of pipe bombs, and the subsequent murder trial and acquittal of Alyssa's stepfather, Michael Turney.

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1. Introduction to the Case

Debra Roberts opens the episode by introducing the haunting disappearance of 17-year-old Alyssa Turney from Phoenix, Arizona, in 2001. Initially deemed a runaway, the case took a dark turn as authorities began suspecting her stepfather, Michael Turney.

Notable Quote:

Debra Roberts (00:33): "When 17-year-old Alyssa Turney disappeared on the last day of her junior year of high school, authorities at first believed it looked like a classic runaway case."

2. Overview of the Investigation

The host is joined by Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo, an editorial producer with extensive experience on the case. They reflect on how initial perceptions shifted from a runaway to a potential abduction, especially after a Florida convict's false confession and the emergence of disturbing evidence in Michael Turney's home.

Notable Quotes:

Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (04:09): "She was reported as a runaway by her father, but police are starting to suspect she didn't run away."

Debra Roberts (05:13): "It kind of shined a different light on him."

3. The False Confession and Media Involvement

In 2009, correspondent John Quinones reopens the story, highlighting a false confession by Thomas Hymer, a Florida convict, who later recants his claim after being confronted with evidence.

Notable Quote:

John Quinones (02:23): "I was reporting on a vibrant teenage girl named Alyssa Turney. She had disappeared in 2001."

4. Michael Turney: Becoming a Person of Interest

Michael Turney, Alyssa's stepfather, emerges as a key figure. Despite maintaining his innocence, his intensive surveillance practices and reluctance to cooperate fully with authorities raise suspicions.

Notable Quotes:

Michael Turney (12:19): "The videos I recorded because I love my family."

Detective (12:41): "From Michael Turney's perspective, he feels like he's assisting in the investigation by handing over some of these tapes."

5. Escalation to Federal Investigation

The discovery of pipe bombs and firearms in Michael Turney’s home shifts the investigation from local to federal jurisdiction. Turney is arrested and pleads guilty to unlawful possession of destructive devices, resulting in a 10-year sentence, of which he serves seven years.

Notable Quotes:

Michael Turney (14:44): "These things weren't in there. They were not in that house."

Forensic Psychologist (14:47): "The discovery of these bombs changed the entire focus of the investigation."

6. The Trial and Acquittal

After his release in 2017, Michael Turney faces a second-degree murder charge. The lack of concrete evidence, such as Alyssa's body or a crime scene, undermines the prosecution's case. Despite the prosecution presenting clips from an earlier interview, the defense successfully argues insufficient evidence.

Notable Quotes:

Prosecutor Vincent Bordino (18:17): "He wouldn't do it."

Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (20:33): "Substantial evidence does not exist to warrant a conviction."

7. Courtroom Drama and Unexpected Ruling

In a surprising courtroom development, the judge dismisses the case before it even reaches the jury, citing insufficient evidence. This rare judicial decision leaves both the courtroom and the listeners in shock.

Notable Quotes:

Judge (20:41): "Substantial evidence does not exist to warrant a conviction."

Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (21:42): "There were a lot of jaws that were just dropped."

8. Aftermath and Continuing the Search

Despite the acquittal, Alyssa Turney remains missing. Her family, particularly her sister Sarah Turney, becomes increasingly involved in advocating for renewed investigations, leveraging platforms like TikTok and her own podcast to keep the case in the public eye.

Notable Quotes:

Michael Turney (27:29): "I'm trying. And to get back into some kind of physical and mental shape is important."

Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (29:16): "Phoenix police is always following up on leads. This is one of the top unsolved cases in Arizona."

9. Conclusion and Ongoing Efforts

The episode concludes by emphasizing the unresolved nature of Alyssa Turney’s disappearance. Both Michael Turney and Sarah remain steadfast in their respective quests—Michael denying involvement and Sarah seeking answers through advocacy and public engagement.

Notable Quotes:

Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (30:14): "There are no confirmed answers as far as anything that we could report."

Debra Roberts (30:48): "Mary Ellen, you'll keep us up to date and if there is anything new, we'll probably be updating it again."

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Key Takeaways:

• Complex Investigation: The case of Alyssa Turney highlights the complexities of distinguishing between a runaway and a potential abduction, significantly influenced by the initial classification of the disappearance.

• Impact of Media: Media coverage and local podcasts played a crucial role in keeping the case alive and influencing public perception, ultimately affecting the direction of the investigation.

• Legal Challenges: The absence of a body or concrete evidence poses significant hurdles in prosecuting such cases, as seen in Michael Turney's acquittal.

• Family Advocacy: The Turney family's relentless pursuit for answers underscores the emotional and psychological toll on families of missing persons.

• Ongoing Mystery: Despite years of investigation and public attention, Alyssa Turney's whereabouts and fate remain unknown, leaving the case open and unresolved.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Debra Roberts (00:33): "When 17-year-old Alyssa Turney disappeared... authorities at first believed it looked like a classic runaway case."

• Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (04:09): "She was reported as a runaway by her father, but police are starting to suspect she didn't run away."

• Michael Turney (12:19): "The videos I recorded because I love my family."

• Michael Turney (14:44): "These things weren't in there. They were not in that house."

• Judge (20:41): "Substantial evidence does not exist to warrant a conviction."

• Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo (30:14): "There are no confirmed answers as far as anything that we could report."

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Final Thoughts

"Since You've Been Gone" offers a compelling exploration of a long-standing true crime mystery, intertwining investigative journalism with personal narratives. It underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement and families alike in seeking closure for unresolved disappearances. The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring impact such cases have on communities and the relentless pursuit of truth and justice.

Transcript

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[Debra Roberts]

Hi everybody. Welcome to 2020 the After Show. I'm Debra Roberts and today we're diving into a case that people in Phoenix, Arizona have been haunted by for two decades. When 17 year old Alyssa Turney disappeared on the last day of her junior year of high school, authorities at first believed it looked like a classic runaway case. There was even a note saying she was leaving for California. But eventually, as authorities begin to explore testimonies from her friends, they look at her stepfather, Michael Turney. This episode of 2020 explores the twists and turns of that case and there were many, including a false confession from a serial killer, the discovery of pipe bombs and a murder trial acquittal of Alyssa's stepfather. A lot to dig into. Our 2020 team was there from the beginning, even sitting down with Michael Tierney twice along the way. Joining me now to talk a little bit more about it is Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo, one of our editorial producers who was along for quite a ride with this story. Hey, Mary Ellen.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Hi, Deborah. Good to be here.

[Debra Roberts]

You and I have worked on a number of stories together. Often when I come out west, you're on a story and you dig into them and you know all the details, you know from having, you know, been. And it's always been such a pleasure working with you.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Same love working with you, Deborah.

[Debra Roberts]

This case, we already know that it had quite the twist with investigators going from thinking Alyssa was a runaway, then initially putting their effort into investigating whether her stepfather might have something to do with it. So before you and I jump in, let's listen to a clip and remind our listeners of the details of this story with correspondent John Quinones.

[John Quinones]

The last time I set foot on this dusty desert road between Phoenix and Los Angeles was 2009. I was reporting on a vibrant teenage girl named Alyssa Turney. She had disappeared in 2001. And to this day, some wonder if this unforgiving and lonely landscape might hold secrets of her fate.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

17 year old Alyssa Marie Turney was disappearance and presumed death of 17 year old Alyssa Turner.

[Debra Roberts]

Alyssa Turney hasn't been seen in more than seven years.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Just a bombshell arrest tonight.

[Debra Roberts]

Almost 20 years after Phoenix teen Elisa.

[John Quinones]

Turney vanished, my report on her case went on to have a life of its own.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

This is the story of Alyssa Turney.

[John Quinones]

Showing up in countless stories about Alyssa on the Internet, in podcasts, and recently, it was even at the center of a trial aimed at answering once and for all what really happened to Alyssa.

[Debra Roberts]

Wow. You hear John there talk about our involvement in the case for a long time, 2020. And, you know, this happens sometimes in these stories. We have a history. And this one goes back to 2009, right?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

It does. We did our first show in 2009. At that time, Alyssa's case had gone cold. But it caught the attention of these two missing person detectives in the Phoenix Police Department, William Anderson and Stuart Summershoe. Those names start to become very familiar with her case. And it caught their attention when a Florida convict, Thomas Hymer, confesses to killing Alyssa. We hadn't heard anything about Alyssa until this time. He then recants that confession, though, after they kind of confront him and they bring some pictures. He says it's not Alyssa, and people.

[Debra Roberts]

Don'T think she ran away. I mean, when you're starting to talk to people, right?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Yeah. She was reported as a runaway by her father, but police are starting to suspect she didn't run away. Something's afoul with this now, up until this time, because she was a runaway, there wasn't a huge police investigation. There also wasn't a lot of media coverage. And we're going to kind of get into that a little bit later. Michael Turney says all along he has been searching for his daughter Alyssa, and he's been working with the center for Missing and Exploited Children. He goes to California. He's putting up flyers, this effort of looking for Alyssa, and then he agrees to give John Quinones an exclusive interview. And it's that interview that ends up getting used a decade later in court. It catches these two detectives attention because they say Michael wouldn't grant them an interview. And it's also where his children kind of start questioning what really happened to their sister.

[Debra Roberts]

The story, yeah, he's talking to us, but not so much to authorities. Now, what are you making of him?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

He's intense. There's no doubt. He's an intense character and, you know, very protective father.

[Michael Turney]

All I can say, till hell freezes over, I didn't do a damn thing to my daughter.

[John Quinones]

Did you kill her?

[Michael Turney]

No, absolutely not.

[Debra Roberts]

Oftentimes these stories that we stumble upon have just had local attention and, you know, nobody really has been talking about them in a big way on a national scale. So when you're having suddenly national attention focused on a story, I mean, obviously if somebody's missing, that makes a. How did that impact this case to start off?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Well, there was a big need to find answers. I mean, when you're talking about someone who's missing, those first 24, 40 hours are crucial. We're talking seven years later when we're coming on board this and when police are actually, you know, going and starting to interview people. So our first show did not necessarily create the momentum for detectives to look at Michael Turney. They had been a year into their investigation after reopening it, and they were looking at him as a person of interest. Local podcaster Octavia McHenry said after watching the ABC interview with Michael Turney, she was inspired to start a podcast. That podcast starts in 2017. Sarah Turney, who is Alyssa's younger sister by five years, she tells McHenry that she had supported her father. But after watching her father's interview with John, she starts to have doubts, little by little.

[Debra Roberts]

Interesting.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Her confidence is sort of chipping away here. She says she wasn't aware that her father had taken her out of school.

[Debra Roberts]

And then now suddenly they're hearing it on 2020.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Yes.

[Debra Roberts]

You know, it's interesting because sometimes people sit down to do these interviews with us and maybe they have a certain expectation of how it's going to go, but in this case, it kind of shined a different light on him. You've been a reporter in Phoenix for a long time. This story was clearly being talked about out there. You can't have a disappearance of a young teen girl and people not being talking about it. What had you been hearing over the years and what was sort of the general thinking in the community and in the area? What was known?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

I don't recall a lot from her initial disappearance, and that might be because she was reported as a runaway. You know, we don't tend to cover. There are so many runaway cases and while our hearts go out to all the families, we don't tend to cover them unless there's a dangerous component. Let's say it's a minor that took off with a 30 year old or, you know, if they've taken off without their insulin. But we do cover missing persons cases, especially if they're in danger. And investigators told us in their interview and they testified in court to the jury, it is the same for them. A report of a runaway is handled very different than a report of a Missing person. And according to them, runaways will typically resurface. There's something they, you know, they show up at a relative's house, they take money out of a bank or they use a credit card. Missing people don't. And Alyssa has never been seen since she was taken out of school in 2017.

[Debra Roberts]

You know, you raise a very interesting point because we all do hear these stories about missing people. But it is fascinating that the way a case is reported influences how it's being investigated, how much, you know, police and detectives are digging into it. Mary Ellen, don't go away because when we come back, authorities ratchet up the investigation into Alyssa's disappearance and and make some surprising discoveries. This show is supported by Odoo. Imagine you're a business owner who has to rely on a dozen different software programs to run your company. None of which are connected. And each is more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you're going to need connected on one simple platform, giving you peace of mind that your business is always being taken care of from every angle. Odoo has user friendly open source applications for everything. CRM, accounting, inventory, manufacturing, marketing, hr, everything in between. Odoo sounds pretty amazing, right? Well, you don't have to waste your time or your money on those expensive disconnected platforms. Odoo can harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. Doesn't get much better than that. Discover how Odoo can take your business to the next level by visiting odoo.com that's o d o o.com odoo modern management made Simple. We're back now with Mary Ellen Resendez Schweizo who helped produce since youe've Been Gone. It was the story of a list attorney's disappearance more than 20 years ago, which we reported on for 2020 on multiple occasions, by the way. And Mary Ellen, we talked about the fact that original ABC reporting was very influential for the Turney family. Seeing this man interviewed by our reporter and folks having a chance to sort of see him in a different light. Tell me a little bit about that because when we jump into a story, we think we're just reporting the story. But to have an impact on the family is really kind of interesting.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

I think it always really helps to have the family participate with us too because it kind of gives us some insight. In this first case, Sarah Turney, the sister, participated along with two of her brothers. She also became very active afterwards trying to solve her sister's disappearance. At one point, Sarah turns to TikTok, and this is covered also nationally to keep her sister's name in the media. And she develops this huge following. She eventually even creates her own podcast, which now brings attention to not just her sister's case, but other unsolved cases.

[Debra Roberts]

So she really began to become an advocate in this case. Eventually. Law enforcement, of course, are intrigued and they search Michael Turney's home. They discovered a lot.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

They did. Police and forensic psychologist Erin Nelson tell us they had no. No idea what they were walking into. Now, just a reminder, this is in the early 2000. This is a time when home surveillance cameras were not common like they are today. But Michael Turney had surveillance cameras both outside and inside his home. He even had one in a vent. He would record everyone's phone calls, the incoming calls, the outgoing calls. Investigators told John Quinones they were looking for this eight hour tape from the day that Alyssa was last seen, the audio tape from the call that she allegedly made to the home after she disappeared. So there's all these phone calls. This is what investigators go in looking for.

[John Quinones]

Why did you record so much?

[Michael Turney]

The videos I recorded because I love my family. Those are home videos that I've recorded since I can remember.

[John Quinones]

But weren't these surveillance cameras in the house?

[Michael Turney]

Yeah, there's very few of those.

[John Quinones]

Those aren't home videos?

[Michael Turney]

No, those aren't home videos. Those are for my protection of my house.

[John Quinones]

So for security?

[Michael Turney]

Yeah, most of it's for security. Why? Because I want to spy on everybody.

[Detective]

So from Michael Tierney's perspective, he feels like he's assisting in the investigation by handing over some of these tapes. But from the detective's point of view, they're like, hold on a second. If you have this videotape, do you have any videotapes of the day that Alyssa went missing? And Michael Turney says to police, no, I don't have it.

[John Quinones]

But why didn't you hang on to the surveillance video from the day Alyssa disappeared?

[Michael Turney]

There was nothing on the tape. They were told that I saved it and said, you want me to give you this tape? A detective told me, no, man, this is just a runaway. I don't need all that stuff.

[Detective]

So now police are asking, is it possible that you have a recording of that phone call that you say Alyssa made to you early that morning?

[Michael Turney]

No, it was when Alyssa called. It was like four or five o' clock in the morning. And, you know, if I don't reset the tape. Then I have to do it that morning and reset it, turn the tape over.

[John Quinones]

Would have been great to have that tape.

[Debra Roberts]

They're looking for what was alleged to be a runaway note, too, right?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

They are. They don't like to call it a goodbye note. And the reason they don't like to call it a goodbye note is because they say nowhere in there does Alyssa say she's actually leaving. I mean, she says she wants to go to California, but she doesn't say she's leaving. And they can't actually prove when the note was actually written. So this is one of the items that they're looking for when they go into Michael Turney's house. What they find instead are explosives. Michael Turney downplays the explosives in his interview, telling Quinones they were just a few firecrackers, just enough to get attention for Alyssa's case.

[John Quinones]

What did you have in your house?

[Michael Turney]

Firecrackers. A few things to make some noise, start a fire. So when I blew my head off, at least it would make some kind of noise and maybe national news would pick it up. I wanted the attention brought to Alyssa.

[Debra Roberts]

Investigators arrested Michael Turney after pipe bombs and numerous guns were found inside the home.

[Michael Turney]

These things weren't in there. They were not in that house.

[Forensic Psychologist]

The discovery of these bombs changed the entire focus of the investigation. They filed charges against Michael Turney for possession of these bombs.

[Debra Roberts]

Well, that kind of shifts things. How did it affect Alyssa's case?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Well, it's no longer a Phoenix police investigation. It now becomes a federal investigation and a federal case. The federal case puts Michael Turney behind bars. Michael Turney ends up admitting to illegally possessing these 26 pipe bombs. He pleads guilty to unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device, and he ends up being sentenced to 10 years in prison. In the end, he serves about seven of those 10 years. He's released in 2017. And meanwhile, while I say it becomes this federal investigation, there's still Alyssa who's missing, and that is still the Phoenix police investigation.

[Debra Roberts]

And they're still looking into that.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

They are. They're still going through the case. Slow, methodical sifting through the evidence from the seizure. But they never get a body. And it still remains that way today.

[John Quinones]

Did you look for forensic evidence and did you find that the home that.

[Forensic Psychologist]

They had been living in when she disappeared? Yes, we did an in depth forensic review of that home. We did luminol. We're looking for blood, we're looking for body fluids. We check through the backyard. But no violent crime scene is identified.

[Debra Roberts]

And it's sort of hard to make that case, but they are still suspicious of him. So he serves his time, as you said, then he's released. But not long after that, he is brought in again, and this time on second degree murder charge, as you said, even though they don't really have all the goods there. But had anything big changed in the case at that point?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

No, there wasn't really anything new. There's no smoking gun. And I think that was the big problem in the case. Now, between 2017 and 2020, the relationship between Michael Turney and Sarah starts to disintegrate. She starts participating in podcasts about Alyssa where she's questioning her father's innocence. And then, as we mentioned before, she starts her own podcast. Sarah makes this huge push to have charges filed against her father. And eventually the evidence is presented to a Maricopa county grand jury and Michael Turney is indict on the evidence. Tierney, though, pleads not guilty. He maintains his innocence throughout the whole trial, and he still does today.

[Debra Roberts]

No body, no crime scene. And so, you know, there's reason to question whether he is guilty of anything.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Yeah, anytime you go to court with a case where there's no body, no crime scene, it's an uphill battle. And I think the prosecutors knew that the federal charges, they aren't able to bring those in because they can't prejudice the jury with bringing in charges of conviction. It might lead the jury to convict him even though they may not have the evidence. So the federal charges can't be brought in to the trial. In opening statements, prosecutor Vincent Bordino lays out the evidence of a very controlling father with no boundaries. And he talks about these contracts where Alyssa had to sign off. Strange contracts. And then, of course, what surprises us, the prosecution uses a couple of clips from John Quinones interview with Michael Tierney.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah, that's the thing. I mean, you know, and this has happened to us before in other stories.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

We'Ve covered, the defense team sort of treats these clips as hearsay. They don't believe it's really any evidence. They instead paint Alyssa as this sort of unruly child throughout the trial. But they knew they had a job to do, and that was, you know, to prove that Michael Turney didn't do it or that there wasn't enough evidence against him.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah, yeah, it was going to be a tough case. I mean, for, for, for everybody all around. Well, we're going to take another quick break, and when we come back. Wow, you're Going to take us to the courtroom because there was a scene there that nobody expected. And then Michael Turney sits down with us again. Stay with us.

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[Debra Roberts]

We're back. So, Mary Ellen, you were in court when Michael Turney's defense team asked the judge to. Throughout the case. That happens all the time. You know, they keep making arguments throughout that. You know, the prosecution has no real case here. But then a shocker. The judge actually agrees. And I'm sure that had to be stunning for you and everybody else in the courtroom.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Yeah, it's not unusual for the defense team to bring up, you know, any type of motion to throw out the case. That's pretty common. What's not common is the judge actually agreeing with them. That just threw me for a loop. And also the entire courtroom. I was in the courtroom that day.

[Debra Roberts]

Was there a gasp?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

There were a lot of jaws that were just dropped. I just remember the judge was sort of, like, walking us through, you know, his ruling. He was just kind of taking us along. And so there was this build in the courtroom, and that build leads to confusion. And it's not just us that's confused. I mean, the defense table also looks a little confused. And I can remember the photographer that we had in turning and looking at me, and it's almost like we're talking with Liza, and he's, like, looking at me, like, is this happening? And I'm, like, thinking, am I hearing what I think I'm hearing? And then he pretty much says it. He's dismissing the case. He's going to let Michael Turney out of jail.

[Debra Roberts]

I mean, shocker.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Exactly. As he's walking us through with this ruling, he agrees with the prosecution that there's enough evidence to say Alyssa isn't alive. But then he says these words, and this is what shocks the courtroom. He says substantial evidence does not exist to warrant a conviction. And he grants the defense their motion ordering the defendant be released. The case never even makes it to the jury.

[Debra Roberts]

Incredible. And obviously, it had to be shocking, not just to the bystanders, but to Turney himself. We've got a clip here of defense attorneys, then prosecutors, and finally Michael Turney reacting to the news of his case getting thrown out. Let's listen.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Michael cried when we told him that he was acquitted and that he was going home.

[Michael Turney]

I think the first thing he said is he couldn't hear. And so I had to go, yeah, that's true.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

I had to go around the other side and tell him in the other ear.

[WhatsApp Representative]

And then he said, he was like, what?

[Michael Turney]

What just happened?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Like, you're going home.

[WhatsApp Representative]

The judge acquitted you.

[Michael Turney]

I was shocked. I really was. I just sat back in total disbelief. And I went on and on. And I'm looking around thinking to myself, is this real? This can't be real. It's going to end here.

[John Quinones]

Now, what was going through your minds?

[Forensic Psychologist]

Abject failure. Again, it's disappointment. I've always known that a nobody homicide is so significant, significantly difficult to prove, that I may not convince all those jurors.

[John Quinones]

The lack of a body.

[Forensic Psychologist]

Yes, I could have had a hung jury. I could have gotten a not guilty. But for it to be cut off before ever going to a jury, I didn't see that coming. So, I mean, that was especially painful.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

It was a gut punch. I. You know, our goals in this case were to find Alyssa and to get justice for her. And we've failed in both those goals.

[Michael Turney]

I've still got to look for my daughter. Alyssa's gone. No proof that I had murdered her. Never was.

[Debra Roberts]

What about Michael Turney's family? How did they react?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

It was shocking. It was really shocking. I mean, a gut punch. When you looked at Alyssa's brothers and sisters in the front row, it was definitely a gut punch for them. On the other hand, when you're looking at the defense table, like I said, they were kind of in shock. We learned afterwards. We did a post trial interview with defense attorney Jamie Jackson and Olivia Hicks. And I asked them, because I had never seen this in 30 years of covering news and trials, had they ever seen it. And Jamie told us that he turned to Olivia and said, he's doing this. And Olivia responded, I don't think so. And Jamie responded back, nope, this is happening. And then Olivia turns to Michael, because at that point, if you remember I said, michael turned to Olivia, and Michael Turney's asking, what's going on.

[Debra Roberts]

Heads are whipping throughout the courtroom.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Yes. And Olivia says, you're going home. They kind of quip that Michael Turney, because he's kind of hard of hearing through one of his ears, couldn't hear Olivia. So Jamie had to actually get up, go around the table and tell Michael, you know, you're being acquitted.

[Debra Roberts]

We cover these stories from time to time. I've been in courtrooms, and, you know, it can be very interesting. I mean, it can be very mundane for a while, but then when there's a big development or a big change like this on the part of a judge, it can be really intriguing. And in this case, once the charges were dismissed, I mean, he can't be tried again on those same charges, right?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

That's right. Double jeopardy definitely comes in on this case. He can't be charged again with second degree murder.

[Debra Roberts]

And I have to tell you what shocked me and probably those who've seen this program already, after attorney's acquittal, you got some surprising news. And this one kind of surprised me. He was willing to sit down with us again, even after the ABC interview had been entered into court as evidence against him. He's gonna sit down and talk with us again. You're great at doing your job, but wow. To get him to do it again.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

I was in contact with his lawyers. But I will tell you, it was not an easy interview to round up at all. It was surprising. Michael Turney was angry with ABC News, and he was angry with 2020. He was not happy. The clips from our interview made it into his trial. He kept refusing us for probably three weeks. We were preparing to go to air without his interview. And then. And while we're doing this, we're kind of a little bit surprised. Wow. Because we do know that. And he admits that he's. He's, you know, tends to need to be in control of things. And I got a call from Jamie Jackson, his attorney, that said he'll do it. And we didn't waste time. We quickly started hammering out a date that we could get Jamie, Olivia and Michael Turney into a room. It took about not a week. I want to say it took about a week. But it really was like, for us, working fast because of the amount of moving parts that have to come together. And so I had actually left town and quickly had to fly back to Arizona in order to be on location and just make sure that everything, you know, got off the way it was supposed To.

[Debra Roberts]

And, Mary Ellen, when you think about how we get these stories to air, I mean, there's a lot of work and calling, you know, to try to get people to come to us. And, you know, you do this on a regular basis, and sometimes you're surprised, too. Well, we've got an extended clip of our interview with Michael Turney here. He had just been released from custody after his acquittal. So let's take a listen.

[Michael Turney]

I've only been out less. Well, it'll be a month on the 20th. I feel like, first off, at any moment, are they going to attack me again and throw me back in the dungeon? It's there. I can't get rid of that. And, of course, not believing that what is happening is real. Am I really here? Am I really out of that draconian dungeon? I can't shake it. I'm trying. And to get back into some kind of physical and mental shape is important. It's hard to get medical care.

[Debra Roberts]

So you can hear in his voice his exasperation, his frustration. I mean, he is obviously very much proclaiming that he's not only innocent, but nervous about the future. Tell me about being in that room. You mentioned that Tierney was intense.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

I do want to mention, like. I mean, it's not unusual for defendants to be intense because this is their life on the line. He had just spent another three months, three years in jail, and he's still kind of stunned over what happened and whether it really did happen. So he's very mad at the fact that he has spent this time in jail. And there were times in the interview that he got heated, and we just kind of had to keep him on track. But he had spent years under investigation. So, yeah, the room was definitely tense at times. And finally, you know, in the second interview, what Turney really wanted to tell everybody was that everyone got it all in thinking that he was the one that had anything to do with his daughter going missing, especially since now the judge had ruled in his favor.

[Debra Roberts]

Do you think they're ever gonna solve this case? I mean, all these years later? I mean, do you think they'll find evidence of her, Of Alyssa?

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

You would hope so. I think it's so important for the family. You know, Phoenix police is always following up on leads. This is one of the top unsolved cases in Arizona. People are fascinate by what happened to Alyssa. Like what? It's just. It's one of those big mysteries. Michael told us during his interview that he was going to continue to try and find his daughter Sarah continues to search for Alyssa and for answers and recently posted about some hope in the case. But there are no confirmed answers as far as anything that we could report. It might not turn out how they want it to turn out, and I think they're expecting that by now with how many years have passed. But there's a part of closure that's kind of relieving to families when they get, you know, that person back and they can say goodbye in their own way and they can put them to rest. That is so important for families of victims.

[Debra Roberts]

Absolutely. We hear it all the time in all these stories we cover. And these cases continue to captivate us too, especially when there hasn't been an ending to it, you know, more than two decades, as I said. And a case like this sticks with people there and I'm sure it sticks with, you know, you too. You've been working on it for a while. So, Mary Ellen, you'll keep us up to date and if there is anything new, we'll probably be updating it again. It was such a pleasure to talk to you. We don't get a chance to do this very often, only to just work together very quickly. So thanks for guiding us through the ins and outs of the story.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

Thank you, Deborah. Always a pleasure to work with you too.

[Debra Roberts]

See you soon. All right, that does it for us Today on the 2020 After Show. Make sure you tune in on Friday nights for 2020, of course, at 9 o' clock Eastern Time. The 2020 after show is produced by Amira Williams and Sasha Aslanian with Sean Dooley, Brian Mazerski and Alex Barenfeld of 20 20. Theme music by Evan Viola. Janice Johnston is the executive producer of 2020. Josh Cohen is the director podcasting at ABC Audio. Lara Mayer is the executive producer. We can't get enough of the wnba. A fresh draft class has arrived. Dallas Wings select Paige Beckers Teams stacked with new talent.

[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

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[Mary Ellen Resendez Schwizo]

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