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- [00:00]
Ashley
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- [01:06]
Ricky
Let's go get ready for a new case.
- [01:08]
Ashley
We're gonna crack this case and prove we're the greatest partners of all time. New friends, you are Gary the Snake and your last name Desnake Dream Team Hidden new habitats Zootopia has a secret reptile population. You can watch the record breaking phenomenon at home. You're clearly working at Zootopia. Now available on Disney plus.
- [01:31]
Ricky
Rated pg.
- [01:50]
Ashley
Hey everyone, welcome back to Crime Salad. Now before we dive into today's case, we have a very quick scheduling update for this week's episode. We are running around crazy right now because our oldest son is officially heading to the state championship for a track meet. He actually just broke the school record. Actually he shattered it and we are so incredibly proud of him. It's gonna be a huge week for him and because we're traveling and cheering him on, we are putting a re release on the feed today. This is an episode that we originally posted back in August of 2025 and we had it titled the Undetermined Death of of Heather Turner. But that has changed. You'll see why. And it's a case that has stuck with us deeply. But be sure you stick around all the way to the very end of this episode because a lot has happened. It's been almost a year and in Paulding county since we originally dropped this episode, we actually sat down before we hit the road and recorded a massive brand new segment covering all the explosive updates. There's leaked documents and official rulings that have recently come out in 20. So pretty recently and you're not going to want to miss this new information. We'll be back on our regular schedule with a brand new episode next week. Thank you all so much for supporting us. We really appreciate it. And here is our original coverage of the Heather Turner case, followed by the complete 2026 update. This episode contains discussions of domestic abuse, physical violence, emotional manipulation and other content that may be disturbing or triggering to some listeners. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, help is available. You can contact the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 for confidential 24. 7 support. Please prioritize your well being as you listen.
- [04:08]
911 Dispatcher
Palmer County 9 1. What's the address of emergency? Listen, listen. Your phone is cutting out. I can't understand you. What's the address book? Trail. B U, C, K. Okay, what are the numerics? I know. Buck Trail. What is the numerics? 88. 88 Buck Trail. Okay. 88 Buck Trail. Yes, ma'. Am. So is that. Is that in Paulding County? It is. Okay. What are you calling. Listen, listen. What are you calling to report your wife just shot herself? Just. Was this intentional? Listen. Was this intentional? Sir, take a deep breath. Listen. Was this intentional? Okay, listen, listen. Sir, take a deep breath. Listen, responders. Sir, take a deep breath. Responders are being notified, but I have some more questions for you. It's not going to slow them down. Take a deep breath. What's your name? My name is Andy. What's your last name? Andy.
- [05:10]
Ashley
At just after 6 in the morning on May 4 of 2017, a 911 call came into the Paulding county dispatch. In Dallas, Georgia, which is just about 30 minutes in outside of Atlanta, a woman had been found with a gunshot to her head, naked, lying on the bathroom floor with the shower still running. Her name was Heather Turner, a 35 year old mother church member who was just hours earlier was planning to leave her serious long term relationship. The man on the phone making the emergency phone call was Heather's boyfriend, Andy Turner. He told dispatch that Heather had taken her own life. But even in that first phone call, things weren't totally adding up. It was a scene that according to Heather's loved ones, felt staged. Today we're looking at the ongoing case of Heather Turner, an open case that after almost 10 years is still ruled as undetermined in relation to her true cause of death. There have been no arrest no charges, and worst of all, no real closure for Heather's family. The evidence tells a complicated story, and before we dive any deeper, I want to let you know that this is a complex case. It's full of contradictions, inconsistencies, and question marks that have been left unanswered. So we're going to do our best to untangle this web. I'm Ashley.
- [06:30]
Ricky
And I'm Ricky.
- [06:31]
Ashley
And this is Crime Salad. Heather Nicole Milam was the kind of person people gravitated towards. She had this big, infectious smile and a calming presence that made her easy to talk to. And she was someone who could light up a room and make you feel like the most important person in it. She was a devoted mother, friend, and sister. She had been described by many around her as an amazing energy in light to everyone around her.
- [07:11]
Ricky
Heather shared that energy and light through two main ways, according to her family and loved ones, and that was through singing and writing. She loved to write letters and was very talented at using words to express herself. And her family still has those beautiful letters that she wrote. And there's this YouTube video of her singing from about 13 years ago. It's kind of a beautiful sadness to go back and watch her.
- [08:01]
Ashley
She just had such a wonderful voice. As we said, she was a talented singer and she was very involved in church life. And she actually got married right out of high school around the year of 2000 to her high school sweetheart, Philip Elsner, who was the preacher's son. And they remained quite active in their church and later would welcome a son together.
- [08:21]
Ricky
So you have to be wondering, how did Heather meet Andy Turner, the guy that was on the 911 call?
- [08:28]
Ashley
It's a little interesting. So in 2004, the church hired an associate pastor, as we now know, Andy, who was also a preacher's son, and he primarily worked with the kids and youth in the church. So we can assume that he possibly became acquainted with the couple through their son. Andy was described by many as having a big charismatic personality, but also had those chameleon like tendencies, meaning that he was able to match the energy around him and fit in anywhere. So it was kind of easy for him to relate to a lot of different kinds of people. Now, down the road, Heather and Philip, they started to have marital problems and they reached out for counsel from the leadership of the church. And one of those people who counseled them ended up being Andy.
- [09:19]
Ricky
So Heather became close with Andy through him counseling her on her current marriage, which, from what I know, Andy was also married at the time. And had two kids of his own.
- [09:29]
Ashley
And apparently in 2008, there were some rumors that came out that they were having this affair. And a short time later, they both divorced their spouses and started dating each other. Records show a marriage certificate that dated in 2014 between Heather and Andy, officiated, at least on paper, by a local pastor. But here's the complicated piece. That pastor later said he never married them. Actually, he claims that his own signature on their certificate was forged. And according to Heather's friends and one of her co workers, Heather had confided in them that she never agreed to that marriage at all. So while she was legally listed as Heather Turner and also went by that name, it's possible that she never intended to. So this changes how we look at everything else that follows this. If Heather never consented to that marriage, what else in her life might have been affected by someone else's control?
- [10:28]
Ricky
And honestly, it's not every day that a pastor publicly claims that his signature was forged on a marriage license. That's crazy.
- [10:37]
Ashley
That's pretty serious. Yet it doesn't seem like that allegation led to any kind of official investigation into the document's authenticity. And as we'll learn, there will be a lot of questions as we continue to unravel this information, especially regarding some of the inactions taken by investigators. So, as Andy and Heather's relationship grew, they eventually welcomed their own child together, a daughter. So together they had three boys and one girl from previous marriages. And also together, it seemed that things were going pretty well. Heather even got a job in 2016 at the Probate court in Paulding county, where Andy's mother also worked. But it was at this time where Heather told a co worker here that even though she took Andy's last name, she was never really married to him. And from here, eventually, things became more outwardly strained between the couple. Cindy, Heather's aunt and mother figure, reported that Heather would call her, alleging that Andy was abusing her and had even asked her to come and pick Heather up, but would later call it off and tell her not to come. And according to her family, it became worse. Now, this is reported by Cindy, Heather's aunt, But Andy says that this is untrue. So this is kind of like a hearsay situation. But according to Cindy, Heather had given up custody of her son to her previous husband, Philip, after a supposed incident at Heather and Andy's house, claiming that Andy was abusing Heather's child. Now, again, Andy denies this, but it's very important to get this information out there, especially regarding the nature of Heather and Andy's relationship. By early 2017, things had reached a breaking point. Cindy had said that Heather became increasingly more distant from her. And Heather had confided in co workers and as an advid writer had even written down her fears about her relationship. According to one main co worker at the probate court named Rob, Heather had sent him numerous emails about the nature of her and Andy's relationship. Rob described himself as being completely in love with Heather and they had planned to be together after her separation from. And although he does say that they never acted on their feelings towards each other and never met outside of work, they were ready to be together after May 5 when Heather had planned to leave. And Rob has provided multiple sources, emails actually between he and Heather which said that Andy was trying to go to the judge's office to get Heather fired. He had accused her of sleeping with multiple people, also had locked her in their bedroom and had taken his belt off like he was planning to hit her with it. Probably one of the most concerning of these emails is the one that reads he told me he would bury me before he signed divorce papers. I think that was a threat but he said it was just an expression.
- [13:38]
Ricky
Yeah, I mean according to these emails it seems like she was documenting her abuse.
- [13:44]
Ashley
Exactly. So the last that Rob knew, allegedly Heather was planning her separation and the next time anyone saw her, she was lying on the bathroom floor of her and Andy's shared home with the shower still running. So let's talk about the timeline. So according to the official timeline, andy Turner called 911 just after 6am from their home in Buck Trail claiming that Heather had shot herself. He sounds panicked and distraught as the 911 dispatcher asks asks questions. He says the gun was beside her and that there's blood everywhere and he doesn't know what to do at this point he says that she was still conscious. So the dispatcher directs him to use life saving measures.
- [14:33]
Ricky
And this is such a difficult call to listen to. At one point Andy starts making the sound like he's throwing up and all you can really hear is Andy sobbing on the other end of the line. At that point, Andy's mother actually got on the phone with emergency dispatch which was a surprise because Andy told the dispatch the only other person in the house was his 8 year old daughter that he had with Heather.
- [14:58]
911 Dispatcher
Your baby daughter's there. Okay, Andy? Andy. Is she in a different room? Yes. I don't want her to walk in. Okay, take a, take a deep breath. For me. Okay. I want you to keep compressing Andy. Where is your daughter? Is she asleep? She's asleep on the couch in the living room. She's in the living room. Okay. Are you compressing at least 2 inches? Okay, take a deep breath. This is mother. Okay. Is Andy still there? She's trying to revive her. Okay. Just as long as he's doing compressions. At least 2 inches, 100 times a minute. Okay.
- [15:46]
Ashley
So the presence of Andy's parents is confirmed in the official police report. But on the call itself, Andy never says anyone else is there, Even after the dispatcher asked him. He says that his daughter is in the house and in another room, but never mentions his parents being in the actual bathroom with him or while he's trying to revive Heather. It's not obvious until his mother literally gets on the phone and says, this is his mother.
- [16:14]
Ricky
Right. And that's just another thing that makes this whole thing so complicated and hard to follow. So we learn later that Andy's parents live about 10 minutes away from him. And according to his father's statement to the police, Andy called them about five minutes before he called 911 to make sure his daughter didn't come into the room. We hear Andy's mother get on the phone about 11 minutes into the 911 call.
- [16:39]
Ashley
So at this point, the dispatcher asks if Andy is still trying to revive Heather. And right after that, Andy's father then gets on the phone, confirming very solemnly that Heather is beyond all help.
- [16:50]
911 Dispatcher
Bad reception. You believe she's beyond all help? Yes, ma'. Am. Okay.
- [16:57]
Ashley
And we can't leave out the incident report that was filed that day by the investigating officer, Curtis Turner, Andy's father, was standing in the front yard and told them that Andy and Heather were in the bathroom inside the house. Pamela, Andy's mother, was sitting in the living room and stated that they were in the bathroom by the bedroom and pointed them in the right direction.
- [17:22]
Ricky
Okay, so the confusing part of this is during the 911 call, Andy claims his daughter is asleep in the living room. But when the officers arrive, they don't report this. She wasn't in the living room sleeping. Who was in the living room was Andy's mother. And why this sticks out is Andy said that he called his parents before 91 1, and the reason being was so that his daughter didn't enter the bathroom. But when the police arrive, neither of his parents are actually with his daughter. And that's just weird to me.
- [17:56]
Ashley
So the officer walked into the bathroom and noted that there was a lot of steam, as if someone had taken a shower. And Heather's hair was wet as if she had been in the shower at the time of the incident. Andy was holding Heather in his arms and the officer noticed a gunshot wound on the left side of Heather's cheek, right in front of her ear. The officer asked Andy where the gun was located and he stated it was wrapped in a towel next to the toilet.
- [18:24]
Ricky
So that means that Andy had moved the gun and wrapped it in a towel because during the 911 call, he told the dispatch that the gun was on the floor next to Heather. I mean, not to fault him or anything, but this is definitely going to affect how the crime scene is processed, right?
- [18:41]
Ashley
And another thing the officer found was a notepad on the vanity in the bathroom with I'm sorry, I love you written on it. And along with that was a cell phone lying by the notepad. Between recording the podcast, Rushing the boys out the door Dinner time used to be a serious scramble. I used to just grab whatever proteins we could find at the grocery store and honestly we were just settling. We would save the high quality cuts for special occasions and for our everyday meals. We dealt with flavorless meat from the store or worse. Our plans would end up changing and I would toss out the spoiled meat. We could even use it. That completely changed when we discovered Omaha Steaks. They've totally shifted how we buy our everyday protein. The other night Ricky and I just fired up the grill. We made some of their mouthwatering burgers and chicken and the rich juicy flavor in every bite was incredible compared to what we used to buy. And it's so convenient having flexible plans and fast delivery right to your door. You can build a custom plan on your schedule and because everything is perfectly proportioned and individually vacuum sealed, we have way less food waste. Whether you need a quick dinner minutes away on a Tuesday night or you're planning a weekend feast, they have an unmatched selection of burgers, chicken, pork, seafood and even dessert. You also have to try their new top sirloin filets. They have earned the coveted distinction of USDA Certified Tender and you can absolutely taste the difference from a standard grocery store steak. Plus, every steak is naturally aged for a minimum of 28 days for maximum tenderness and is made from grass fed grain finished beef. And Omaha Steaks is a family owned company that has been perfecting the art of premium protein for over 100 years with zero compromises. And because every purchase comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can order with complete confidence. Taste the Omaha Steaks difference and never settle for grocery proteins again. Get flavorful, high quality proteins delivered by visiting OmahaSteaks.com/35 off when you use our promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout. That's OmahaSteaks.com code CRIMESALAD terms apply. See site for details. How have you been feeling about skincare? Whether you try every new skincare product that hits the market or you've been using the same one or two things for years, at some point most of us realize our skin isn't keeping up the way we like. That's why One Skin changed for me. I wasn't just looking for something that might work better than my current routine, but I found something that actually works differently. So I learned that as we age, some skin cells stop functioning the way they should. Longevity scientists call them zombie cells, and that's what's actually driving those visible signs from aging. You know, the fine lines, the loss of firmness, the dullness that creeps in over time. And One Skin's OS1 peptide was specifically engineered to address those. So you're getting everything you would expect from great skin care with os, something most skincare was never built to do. And I have to highlight their OS1 face SPF because it has completely changed the game for me. And so many others are obsessed with it too. Finding a clean mineral sunscreen that doesn't leave a heavy white cast or dry out your skin is incredibly hard. But One Skin's SPF is deeply hydrating. It absorbs instantly without feeling greasy, and it layers beautifully under makeup without pilling. And what I love most about it is their tinted versions because they give this beautiful, lightweight coverage that's easy to replace. My daily tinted moisturizer. Not only does it protect my skin from the sun, but with the OS 1 peptide and a powerhouse of antioxidants, it's actually working to reverse skin aging and improve texture while you wear it. And this isn't just my experience. Oneskin's results are backed by four peer reviewed clinical studies, over 10,000 five star reviews, and they've been recognized by Bloomberg as a leader in skin longevity. You really don't need a complicated routine to get healthier, younger looking skin. Born from over a decade of longevity research, OneSkin's OS1 peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age for a limited time, try one skin with 15% off using code CRIMESALAD@OneskinCO CRIMESALAD. That's 15% off Oneskin with the code CRIMESALAD. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them
- [23:30]
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- [24:59]
Ashley
The officer spoke with Andy's father Curtis after this and he explained how Heather had been having just a hard time since her grandfather passed away, which was about a week before this. And upon speaking with Andy, he explained how the night before had been completely normal where they ate dinner, hung out in the bedroom doing husband and wife things. He explained how Heather didn't act like she was thinking about harming herself last night or this morning, but did say that her ex husband was filing for full custody of their son with his second wife planning to adopt him and that she was going to have to resign to be fired from her job that morning. So definitely all contributing to the self inflicted aspect of this case. But that note really sticks out to a lot of people. They question that note a lot because if you remember from the beginning of this episode we mentioned how Heather loved to write and she was extremely expressive and thorough with her words. This is a woman who poured her heart into lyrics and to her letters and she was someone who communicated. That was a big part of who she was and Maybe that doesn't prove anything on its own, but. But, I mean, it adds to the larger picture of doubt. And also the fact that Andy mentioned that Heather was going to be fired that day because there are emails from Heather to Rob that Andy was actively trying to get her fired from her job at the probate court. But you wouldn't expect the investigators to know this about Heather, so they just obviously wouldn't look into that any further. Now, according to Rob, Andy had called him, threatened him for talking to his wife, and had even showed up at the probate section of the courthouse in April of that year to talk to the judge about firing Heather for the email exchanged between her and Rob. But he was escorted off the property. And on May 3, a day before this incident, Heather had actually met with the judge at the probate court to speak with him about her and Andy's relationship. There's documentation of this conversation where the judge says that she was made aware by Heather that the couple was having domestic problems and that Andy had a gun in his possession. This report also says that because of their issues, Heather was concerned for Andy to come to the probate section of the courthouse. And because of this, there was another employee of the courthouse who was sent to speak with Heather about this situation. And Heather advised that she did not wish to file a report because she didn't want to make her husband mad. And it was at this point that Rob made the judge aware of the threatening phone call from Andy, and courthouse security was made aware of that as well. But Rob also declined to make a police report because he didn't want to make Heather's problems worse. Now, this is an incident report, so it's just a record of what was said by Heather and Rob. So we're not saying that this is proof, but it's just important information to put out there. And with all of this background information, especially since this conversation happened the day before Heather's passing, it makes the nature of her death seem so suspicious, especially since Heather was planning to leave the next day. But investigators wouldn't know any of this when they walked into the house that day, which may be the assumption of the officers that Heather did this to herself, caused them to just handle the scene differently from a typical crime scene. The house wasn't taped off, and it doesn't seem like any physical evidence was collected. Andy was never tested for gunshot residue on his hands. So it seems that this assumption caused a lot of typical crime scene processes to be skipped over.
- [28:51]
Ricky
And you can't really overstate how Unusual, that is, an unattended death by a gunshot, a crime scene that could have already been messed with. But then there's no scene control when emergency services get there. Usually standard practice would involve testing anyone at the scene for gunshot residue, Andy included. And it's so discouraging that this step was skipped because it could have added so much clarity to the case.
- [29:18]
Ashley
It's definitely strange. And it actually took 12 days for investigators to return to the Turner home with a search warrant, which was issued based on suspicions of felony murder and aggravated assault. And by that point, the scene had already been lived in for almost two weeks by Andy and his children. So we have no idea what could have been changed during that time.
- [29:41]
Ricky
Yeah, exactly. And I can't help but to think about Heather's family and friends during this. I mean, their hope of having any physical evidence to give them answers seemed like it was basically gone.
- [29:53]
Ashley
The only real evidence that we really have is the coroner's report and the autopsy, so we can talk about that. The coroner's report stated that the entrance wound on Heather's head was on the right side with no obvious exit wound, and Heather was found naked on the bathroom floor.
- [30:11]
Ricky
Yeah. And didn't the incident report from the officer state that the wound was on the left side of Heather's head?
- [30:19]
Ashley
Yeah, so just another piece of confusing information, honestly. And the medical examiner wrote in that report that there was no obvious exit wound. So we don't really know which one is correct at this point. And if it was the left side, that's definitely concerning since Heather was right handed. But again, I mean, things happen. We really don't know. The report also stated that officers took photos of the scene, so there's that at least. But obviously we don't have access to those photos since it's still technically an open case. So then another weird part was that the coroner's report noted that the initial 911 call came in at 6 o' clock in the morning. Now, when police spoke to Curtis, Andy's father, he said that Andy called him about five minutes before the 911 call. The officer also wrote in the incident report that Curtis then pulled out his phone to give the officer an accurate time of the phone call and stated that the call was at 5:59am and they weren't there the night before or stayed the night or anything, because Curtis also said to the officer that when they got the call from Andy, they drove right over. And also in the coroner's report, the medical examiner summarized the same thing that Andy had told the investigating officer about Heather's recent struggles and the events of the evening before in the morning of the incident. The only additions here from the incident report is that there was alcohol present on one of the nightstands in the bedroom, and a wall near the toilet had appeared to be washed. I feel like it's kind of odd to spend time cleaning the bathroom wall before officers get there when you're in such a state of shock with a tragedy like this. Not to mention the fact that, as we've said a couple times, Heather was found naked. Her hair was wet from the shower. And I mean, just an opinion. It seems odd for someone to go into a bathroom, take their clothes off, get into the shower, and then shoot themselves in the head. That just. It just seems like not very characteristic of a typical self inflicted passing and all these things that we're saying it caused the Georgia bureau of Investigation to rule this case as undetermined, Noting that there was just as much of a case for self infliction as there was for someone else doing this to her. We don't have the autopsy report, but whatever they found during that autopsy caused them to be unsure of what really happened. So those are the facts of the actual incident, really, which leaves everything so complicated and honestly, suspicious. So this case, it has the news reports about the incident, it has interviews and has updates from the investigative offices themselves, which have their own series of complications and inconsistencies, Starting with the interviews with Andy from a couple different news outlets following Heather's death. And Andy was very willing to talk to news outlets about the incident and continued to mention the prolonged husband and wife time that they had the night before Heather died, with his children in the room during this interview. And what's very interesting about Andy's interviews, though, is that during his account of the events, when talking to the news sources, he claims that he and his daughter both ran into the bathroom when they heard the gunshot, saying that we found her in the bathroom. This instead of what he originally had said about her being asleep in the living room, which is what he told the 911 operator. It's just kind of, I mean, another story. I mean, it's not an admission of guilt or anything, obviously, but it's confusing.
- [34:01]
Ricky
And it was during these interviews with reporters that he realized officers were calling this case questionable, which must have been surprising for him.
- [34:10]
Ashley
Yeah, I mean, I guess that would be. Huh? What do you mean they're calling this questionable? Yeah, the back and forth and all the opinions are so complicated, which makes the truth About Heather's state of mind in those final days. Really foggy. But what we do know is that she was planning to leave, at least from the multiple testimonies from those around her. She was making it known to the people that she talked to, that she trusted. And from that perspective, she died before she had the chance to leave.
- [34:40]
Ricky
Yeah, I think so, too. And it makes sense that the family wants answers, because, I mean, given all of this background information in the crime scene, that's basically useless. It seems like the investigation was barely moving at all.
- [34:57]
Ashley
Well, a lot of public conversations around this case believe that Andy's relationship with the local community May have contributed to the delays that we saw with investigators. So let's take a little walk through what is known publicly. Okay. So Andy's father, Curtis turner, he was a pastor. His uncle, John turner, serves as a chaplain for the paulding county fire department. And his mother, Pam turner, worked at the courthouse where Heather also worked before she died. And Heather's family say that Pam was friends with the probate judge and the district attorney's office staff.
- [35:34]
Ricky
And we're not saying this means something is being covered up. In small towns like dallas, Georgia, it's common for people to take on multiple roles. Everyone knows everyone, and lines can blur. But in a case like this, it can raise serious concerns, Especially when key decisions are delayed or handled strangely.
- [35:54]
Ashley
Right. And those questions grow when we learn that in 2019, the Georgia Bureau of investigation Reportedly handed its findings in the case over to the district attorney's office. But upon contact with the district attorney's officer, they reported that the Georgia bureau of investigation had not handed their findings over. So, yeah, they're just still waiting for this documentation, apparently. And since then, there's been no indictment, no closure, and according to heather's family, very little communication.
- [36:29]
Ricky
And that silence prompted Heather's supporters to speak out more publicly. They launched petitions and posted online, Pointing out what they saw as inconsistencies in the investigation. They even began naming those they believed were responsible for the lack of progress, including elected officials, prosecutors, and law enforcement leaders.
- [36:50]
Ashley
But so much time has passed. It's been, as of today, eight years since heather died. I mean, you can only imagine how that feels to the family. They just want answers, and it's just, like, all stuck in limbo.
- [37:04]
Ricky
So what was Andy doing during all this time?
- [37:08]
Ashley
Well, firstly, to this day, Andy has refused to speak with the sheriff's office or bureau of investigation for an interview on Heather's case. But one of the biggest aspects of this case that lends to the nature of Andy and Heather's relationship is his subsequent relationship with their nanny. So apparently their relationship had become romantic soon after Heather died, and that relationship apparently didn't go very well. According to news sources, a Paulding county judge actually granted this nanny a restraining order against Andy, citing that he eventually began to abuse her physically and even sexually as the relationship progressed. We won't get into the specifics of that, but it's really concerning, to say the least, with the nanny even alleging that Andy had threatened her life before, saying, if I could do this to Heather, what makes you think I couldn't do this to you? That's directly from an interview with this nanny.
- [38:08]
Ricky
That is messed up.
- [38:11]
Ashley
Andy's only response to this was that he has hundreds of hours of video of their sexual encounters, which I don't really know what that proves. But he also points out that her claims are very convenient for the public's current opinion about him. And in all this stuff coming up about Heather's private life with Andy, as well as his pretty questionable relationship with their nanny, Andy actually later self published a book in 2023 called who Turned up the Silence? Where he describes himself as a grieving husband and offers his version of the relationship. The description and excerpt of this book, it's publicly available, and his main claim is that he's breaking his silence amid people using social media to tell a twisted story and quote, unquote, weaponize their right to free speech in order to slander those they uneducatedly turn against and crush anyone brave enough to oppose them. The book is described more as his own life story, but focuses on breaking his silence about his wife's passing. And in this book, Andy highlights Heather as having emotional struggles and engaging in infidelity. This is in relation to the co worker we mentioned earlier, Rob, who had said that in interviews, Andy was fully aware of Rob and Heather's relationship. Heather's family and friends have said that a lot of this book is not at all accurate to what Heather had privately shared with them. It probably felt like a rewriting of history to them, which disconnected them even more to the idea that she did this to herself. Plus this information about the nanny. I mean, why wouldn't you keep fighting for answers? And that brings us to everything Heather's loved ones have been doing to keep this case moving. I mean, they've shown up at city meetings, filed open records requests, kept detailed notes of timelines, inconsistencies, and unanswered questions, and they've done it while navigating a system that they felt like was keeping them in the dark and pointing fingers to everyone else.
- [40:21]
Scott Weinberger
I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former Deputy Sheriff.
- [40:25]
Ashley
I'm Anna Sega Nicolasi, former New York City Homicide prosecutor. And we're back together with a brand new podcast, Homicide 360.
- [40:34]
Scott Weinberger
It's a show that examines every angle, every Life.
- [40:39]
Ashley
This is Homicide 360. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [40:49]
Scott Weinberger
You know that feeling when you hear one interesting thing and suddenly you want to know more? Well, that's the idea behind my podcast, Something you should know. Every episode starts with a question you've probably never thought to ask, like why people do or don't like you, why certain habits stick, or what everyday advice is actually wrong. I'm Mike Carruthers and I talk with scientists, authors and experts and I keep it practical, surprising and fun to listen to. If you've got a curious brain, come try one episode of Something you should know on the podcast app you're listening to right now.
- [41:28]
Ricky
The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been thrust into a not so dark, not so stormy, hard boiled detective story that probably nobody saw coming. Follow Sonic and the intrepid Chaotix Detective Agency as they take on their biggest case yet. This high flying, action packed adventure will take them across the world, fighting for every clue they can find. It's one heck of a tale, which is good because this story might be the only thing that can save their lives.
- [42:05]
Ashley
Well, if that's all I can just dispose of you.
- [42:07]
911 Dispatcher
Wait.
- [42:08]
Ashley
What
- [42:12]
Ricky
all will be revealed in Sonic the Hedgehog Presents the chaotic Case Files. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
- [42:30]
Ashley
So Paulding County Police, they say that they can no longer investigate because they had already handed it over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. And the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has said that their investigation is concluded and has been handed over to the District Attorney. But as we know, the District Attorney is disputing that. So this case is basically just stuck in limbo right now. Heather's close ones have repeatedly asked why no one secured the home, why the warrant came so late, why Andy never tested for gunshot residue, and why a case labeled as undetermined hasn't moved forward in almost a decade. Even after the Georgia Bureau of Investigations supposedly submitted their findings, the family has been speaking to the public and even brought their concerns directly to law enforcement, the District Attorney's office, and also the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. At one point, they even met with the governor's office, hoping to bring More visibility to Heather's case. They are warriors for sure. So there's been a lot of visibility for her case, which includes the justice for Heather Facebook page, where Heather's family and friends have shared documents, timelines, and official correspondences to keep everyone in the loop. It's almost like they're doing their own investigative work. But they're honestly so inspirational in the strength that they've shown through all of this. And to think that this case is still undetermined after all of their efforts, it's so discouraging. They've been waiting for years for, quote, unquote, further investigation to arrive. But from their perspective, nothing has changed, and we don't know if it ever will. It's easy to look at a case like this and feel overwhelmed. I know there's a lot to this case, but for families like Heather's, giving up isn't an option. Hey, guys. Welcome back. So, as we mentioned at the beginning of this episode, there have been some major updates and official developments in Heather Turner's case since we first released the story back in August of 2025. In February of 2026, the Paulding county sheriff, Ashley Henson, held a press conference to announce that they were officially closing the cold case after nearly nine years of being labeled undetermined. And we even handed out these cards at crimecon saying the family is pushing for something to move in this case. It's been undetermined for way too long. The sheriff's department brought in a retired cold case detective, Eddie Herman, and he reviewed the files. And according to their press, the forensics painted a clear picture. Heather's DNA was on the trigger guard, her hand was tested positive for gunshot residue, and Andy's hands were tested negative. Now, based on those findings, the Georgia bureau of Investigation had already amended their autopsy report in January of 2026 to reflect a suicide. But if you think this closed the book on Heather's case, you would be wrong. Thanks to an open records request posted on the justice for Heather Turner Facebook page, we now know exactly why the family is pushing back. So the family posted on the Heather Turner Facebook page a document, and it was revised on February 15th of 2026. This document reveals that the cold case investigators literally labeled the original on scene coroner's observations as fiction. The coroner's original report stated the entrance entrance wound was on the right side of Heather's head and that her hair was wet from the shower. But this new document lists both of those observations as fiction, claiming the wound was actually on the left side of her head. And the craziest part, the Paulding County Coroner, Lindsay Eberhart Fuller, who was physically standing in that bathroom in 2017, was never even consulted by Sheriff Henson, Captain Mike Hill, or the cold case unit before they made these claims. And because of this, Coroner Lindsey Eberhardt, Fuller released a statement making it clear that she will not amend Heather's official death certificate until she can independently review the complete medical and forensic records herself. And the deeper you dive into these open record files, the more the official narrative falls apart. When the family finally got their hands on the dispatch logs, they realized the official timeline of that morning literally defies the laws of physics. It's completely chaotic. So according to the official CAD logs, the computer aided dispatch, the 911 call came in at 6:00 in the morning. To be specific, 6:00 in 22 seconds. And the units were dispatched at 6:00', clock, 51 seconds. But the fire department's own report lists their arrival time as 6 o' clock 59 seconds. That is an 8 second response time. Some think that it's physically impossible for a fire unit to receive a dispatch and arrive on scene in eight seconds. Not to mention six o' clock in the morning. That same fire report shows that they cleared the scene at 6:02 and 4 seconds. They claimed the EMS made patient contact. They told the fire department it was a signal 48, which means a deceased person and the fire department left immediately. That means their total time on the scene was about one single minute. Except the fire department's own personnel logs from that exact time show firefighters performing medical at scene. And the EMS statements confirm that two firefighters actually entered the bathroom where Heather was found. You can't be actively in the bathroom performing medical duties and also clear the scene in 60 seconds. And the CAD logs prove the scene was highly active well beyond that 6:02 clear time. The logs show continued activity. And then at 6:16am dispatch logs a note to send and rescue. A signal 48 to contact the coroner wasn't officially logged until 6:19. So we have this eight second arrival time, a one minute clear time. We have CAD logs showing rescue units being sent in at 6:16 in the morning. And yet Sheriff Ashley Henson publicly stated that the fire department arrived at 6:16am These records can't all be true. So if the timeline is a mess, just imagine what the physical evidence is. According to the original crime scene investigator, a blood stained towel that was found right next to the toilet. It was partially covering the gun. And Heather's body was Found partially covered by two other towels. But those towels weren't immediately bagged and tagged. Instead, they were left wrapped around heather's body, Transported to the medical examiner, and then formally released to the clark funeral home. Law enforcement literally left bloody crime scene evidence Sitting at a funeral home for 14 days before the crime scene investigators finally retrieved them on May 19, 2017. And there's even more questions. On September 7, 2022, an evidence inventory revealed that the biohazard bag Containing those towels Was sitting inside a completely unsealed brown paper bag in the sheriff's office evidence room. A sergeant had to officially seal it with evidence tape five years after the fact. And when they were finally opened in 2024, they were covered in blood, mold, and dried tissue. But there is absolutely zero documentation that the lab ever tested them for DNA or gunshot residue. And the towels aren't the only untested evidence. So during heather's autopsy, Medical examiners clipped her fingernails and specifically to test for defensive DNA. But according to the state's own tracking system, those fingernails bounced around lab coolers and vault carts for 10 months. On March 13, 2018, they were sent right back to the paulding county sheriff's office, Completely untested. But perhaps the biggest red flag Is what happened to the digital evidence. Heather's primary phone, a gold iPhone 7 Plus, was found right next to the notepad in the bathroom. In August of 2017, Andy provided the passcode to the investigators, and the GBI successfully extracted the data. The data showed a photo was taken of Andy and Heather holding hands at 4:25am the morning of her death. But just 32 minutes later, at exactly 4:57am there was an Internet search on that phone Referencing a google account password change. That is roughly one hour before Andy called 911 at 6:00 clock in the morning. So who's trying to change a Google password at 4:57 in the morning Right before a tragic death? We have no idea. Because in late 2025, Captain Mike Hill in the cold case unit Decided to pull the phones out of evidence to run them through updated extraction technology. But on January 8, 2026, Captain Hill noted that the gbi agent advised him Heather's phone was suddenly locked in recovery mode and could no longer be accessed. So how does a phone that was working in 2017 suddenly become locked in recovery mode While sitting in a secure law enforcement evidence vault? And to make matters worse, the files are completely missing. The updated handwritten chain of custody logs that would show exactly when that physical phone was checked in and checked out during the late 2025 timeframe. So with unsealed evidence bags, untested fingernails, phones, locking up in police custody, and impossible timelines, the family has documented reasons to double check every single piece of data coming out of Paulding county, especially from the District Attorney's office. So on the justice for Heather Turner page, the family recently shared a side by side comparison of the DA's publicized trial statistics against actual court outcomes. The DA's office had posted a graphic celebrating their 2025 conviction rate listing a guilty verdict for malice murder in the case of State verse David May, the records show the jury actually found the defendant not guilty on both murder charges and he was instead convicted of aggravated assault. If official public relations posts can contain major discrepancies about court outcomes, it makes complete sense why the family is demanding an independent review of Heather's case. Heather's family has been reaching out to state politicians to ask the hard questions, but a lot of officials are refusing to return calls or emails. So we want to put those questions out there because why not? So here are the what protections actually exist when a family believes conflicts of interest have affected a death investigation? How can the public have confidence in an official determination when the chain of custody accountability for digital and forensic evidence appears to be broken? And here's another one when multiple agencies give completely conflicting statements, what oversight exists to find the truth? So should Georgia have stronger independent external review procedures for disputed death investigations? I mean, these are questions that keep public confidence alive in our justice system. And until they're answered, the fight for Heather Turner is far from over. We are asking all of our listeners to please go to the Facebook page Justice for Heather Nicole Turner Read these open record documents yourself, share her story, say her name and help this family get the absolute transparency they deserve. We will continue to keep an eye on this case and let you know what happens with the coroner's independent review. Thank you all so much for listening to this week's episode. We will see you next week.
- [55:39]
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I do and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com
- [55:56]
Ashley
Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only then full price Plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com hey, I'm Ashley, host of Crime Salad, and every week my husband Ricky joins me as my partner in crime. We know the true crime space is crowded, so we skip the loud, bubbly small talk and get straight to the facts of the most gripping cases. If you want to see what we're all about, check out our recent two parter deep dive. She saved him. Can you save her? Covering the baffling Rebecca Zahao case? If you want a true crime podcast that feels authentic and respects the details, come check us out. Search Crime Salad Wherever you get your podcast,
- [56:46]
Woodbine Narrator
There are vampires out there. They walk among you, shoulder to shoulder in the dark. Heading to work, heading home, going to the bar. It's a life just like anyone else's, and I have grown used to it. To the darkness, to the moon, to the taste of blood on my tongue. But vampires are dying out. We are a fading kind, and I am the first one created in so many long. And that is a dangerous thing to be. Those who came before me, elders of all stripes, they do not want to see our kind gone. And they will do anything to keep their power. And for myself and for Grace, who created me, that is a sword that hangs above our heads. And the worst person of all carries our secret. And he will use it however he sees fit. Who do you look to when things are at their darkest? From the creators of Park Dill Haunt comes Woodbine, a podcast about monsters, dreams and changes, those you want and those you never saw. Coming Season 2 arrives September 24th. Distributed by Realm.
- [57:46]
Whitney and Katie
Hi, I'm Whitney. And I'm Katie and we're the hosts of True Crime Campfire. We set out to make a true crime podcast we'd want to listen to. We get right to the story, we don't do a lot of extra talking, and when we do, it's usually to roast the short hairs off of some loser murderer or scammer. You'll laugh, but only at the people who deserve it.
- [58:05]
Ashley
Like which serial killer would you most like to shove into a locker?
- [58:09]
Whitney and Katie
BTK and his awful poetry dude got caught because he didn't understand what a floppy disk was.
- [58:15]
Ashley
We look for the stranger than fiction stories, like the case of Patty James, a killer catfish before the Internet was even a thing.
- [58:21]
Whitney and Katie
Or Howard Walmsley, a sentient wad of damp laundry who convinced convinced his town he'd won the lottery, fleeced local businesses out of thousands, and then became a romance scammer.
- [58:31]
Ashley
We've covered tons of cases you've never heard of. Cults, scammers, killers.
- [58:36]
Whitney and Katie
So come find your next great binge. Listen to True Crime Campfire on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Friday.
- [58:45]
Roxanne and Chantel
Reality TV is messy, pop culture is louder than ever, and the Internet completely unhinged. Welcome to Roxanne and Chantel, the Podcast, where cousins Roxanne and Chantal break down reality tv, celebrity drama, and the stories everyone's texting about. We recap the shows, spill the headlines, and sit down with the stars themselves. No filter, no boring. Takes just the tea. New episodes every week. If it's trending, we're talking about it. This is Roxanne and Chantel. Let's get into it.