Melissa Turner murder trial has just started in Florida where the former model is accused of stabbing her boyfriend during an argument however Turner is saying that she was defending herself from a violent attack and the killing was in self defense. According to court documents police were called to the Tampa Bay area where they would discover the body of Matthew Trussler suffering from a stab wound. Melissa Turner would tell police that she was defending herself when she stabbed Trussler causing his death.
However things took a funny turn in the case when a surveillance camera from another house in the area caught a female voice stating “you stay down,” “so f***ing die” and “I hate you.” at the time of the murder. Melissa Turner was arrested and charged with murder. The State of Florida offered her a 25 year prison sentence if she pleads guilty, which she refused then countered with a 5 year prison sentence, which the State refused. If convicted of first degree murder Melissa Turner could be sentenced to life in prison
Melissa Turner More News
Testimony in the Melissa Turner second-degree murder trial is officially underway in Tampa.
Turner is the former cosplay model accused of killing her boyfriend, Matthew Trussler, at the home they shared in Hillsborough County in October of 2019.
Attorneys picked a jury on Monday and delivered opening statements.
The state began presenting its case Tuesday. Prosecutors called up several crime scene technicians and detectives who testified in detail about the crime scene, evidence they collected and photos they captured.
Ryan Lagasse, a former detective with the sheriff’s office, testified Tuesday afternoon. His job that day was to canvas the neighborhood looking for any possible witnesses or homes with cameras. He found one around the corner from the scene.
“As I walked up the driveway, I observed some sort of surveillance type cameras,” Lagasse told jurors.
Jurors listened to the recording from the Nest video camera. According to the arrest affidavit, detectives say you can hear a female voice saying, “you stay down,” “so f***ing die” and “I hate you.”
A number of Trussler’s loved ones were in the courtroom, but have not spoken to the media.
Turner sat down with 8 On Your Side on Friday, just days prior to the trial. She claims this was a case of self defense and she is heartbroken.
“He had pushed me into the countertop. I had marks on my stomach and then turned me around and had his hands around my throat,” said Turner. “We ended up struggling back and forth for the knife. I got my hand sliced open.”
John Trevena, a high-profile lawyer out of Pinellas County, is representing Turner. He believes the evidence will show jurors this was not a homicide.
He plans to put his client on the stand either Thursday or Friday.
Before the beginning of the trial, the state offered a plea deal of 25 years in Florida State Prison. Trevena said no, but came back with a counter offer of five years in prison. The state said no to that.
The trial is expected to last the rest of the week. If jurors find Turner guilty, she could face life in prison.
Melissa Turner Found Guilty
A former cosplay model was convicted of second-degree murder on Friday in connection with her boyfriend’s death in 2019.
Melissa Turner was on trial in Tampa, accused of killing her boyfriend Matthew Trussler in their Hillsborough County home. A jury found her guilty as charged Friday evening.
Deputies found Trussler dead at the couple’s Riverview home on Oct. 18, 2019 after Turner called 911 to report that he was unresponsive. Turner was arrested the next day.
In an exclusive interview with 8 On Your Side’s Chip Osowski’s last week before her trial started, Turner did not deny she fatally stabbed Trussler but claimed she acted in self defense.
“And then he turned me around and he had his hands around my throat. And my right hand was sliced open and I used my left hand and I could feel the knife that he had. It was on the counter,” Turner said. “And that’s when I picked it up because he wouldn’t stop. I thought he was going to kill me. And that’s where the stab in his back came from.”
The trial moved quickly – it started Monday with jury selection and opening statements. The jury started deliberating Friday morning and returned the verdict hours later.
Among the evidence presented to jurors during the trial was a recording from a Nest video camera that captured audio of a woman yelling “you stay down,” “so f***ing die” and “I hate you.”
Before the trial started, the state had offered a plea deal of 25 years in state prison. Turner’s attorney John Trevena declined that offer and countered with five years in prison. The state said no to that counter offer.
Turner could now face life in prison.
