Authorities Reopen Chanda Turner Case In Light Of New Evidence

A suspicious death is now re-examined nearly 12 years later. Investigators are reopening the case in light of new evidence.

11/16/2012 Related Story: State Changes Cause Of Death In Chanda Turner Case Amid Murder Suspicion

Detectives found Chanda Turner with a gunshot wound to her chest. Since her death in 2000, the case was considered a suicide.

Now the Medical Examiner changed her cause of death to unknown, and the Garvin County Sheriff says they are dedicated to figuring this out.

Chanda Turner died 12 years ago, her death remains a mystery the Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes hopes can finally be solved.

"At least now we have an opportunity to collectively review all of the evidence, some of it new, some of it as far back as 2000," Sheriff Rhodes said.

Sheriff Rhodes explains new developments in the case caused him to call on the medical examiner to change Chanda Turner's death from suicide to unknown.

The sheriff says new information has revealed several errors made in the case including alterations made to the crime scene, failure to interview witnesses, and the decision to not perform an autopsy following the violent death.

"What I hope in the end is a full and complete investigation that is fact driven and any conclusion based on facts and circumstances there is no predetermined conclusion to this investigation," Rhodes said.

Although the sheriff knows a 12-year-old case will present challenges in the investigation, he says it could also help giving witnesses plenty of time to come forward.

"We are not going to stop seeking justice especially for the victim's family," Rhodes said.

The sheriff refused to comment on specifics regarding the new evidence. He points to the re-evaluation of the crime scene back in 2002, an independent autopsy in 2009, and additional witnesses coming forward with information.