WALKER COUNTY, Texas — In Walker County, the final trial of 2023 handed down a verdict from a crime committed two years prior.
According to the District Attorney's Office, a 65-year-old woman that was decorating her home for Christmas on Dec. 6, 2021 and offered to pay Jack Turner, currently 51, to do some yardwork. Instead, Turner pushed his way into the woman's home, assaulted her, held her down, and pulled down her pants and grabbed at her. He later stole her purse and fled.
While officials were investigating the case, they were able to discern where Turner had fled through the help of security footage, local convenience store employees, and city maintenance crews in the area.
Turner was eventually named a suspect after DPS forensic scientists linked hair found at the scene to DNA from past crimes committed by him. He had previously served sentences for Robbery out of Dallas County and Burglary out of Walker County.
"I'm very proud of this woman who refused to go down without a fight and without knowing it provided such strong DNA evidence to get this man off the streets," said Senior Felony Prosecutor Jennifer Jenkins in a press release. "To both fight back and then to later find the strength to face the man that caused her such pain and stole her peace took a tremendous amount of courage."
During his five-day trial, it was revealed that Turner had been released from his previous prison sentence less than a month before the Dec. 6, 2021 attack. Other crimes that he had committed were also presented as evidence.
"This defendant has proven by his criminal conduct that the streets of Walker County are not safe if he is on them, " said Criminal District Attorney Will Durham in a press release. "Thank you to the jury who ensured with their strong verdict that this dangerous man will be locked up for a very long time and possibly for the rest of his life."
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