Diane Turner, a 38-year-old African American woman from Cleveland, Ohio, was the final identified victim in a series of murders committed by convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell. Her remains were discovered on October 29, 2009, inside Sowell’s residence on Imperial Avenue during a police investigation into a separate rape allegation. Turner had last been heard from in late September 2009, and her body remained unidentified for over a month due to her estranged family ties and the advanced
state of decomposition.
The discovery of Diane Turner’s body, along with that of 31-year-old Telacia Fortson, marked the beginning of a harrowing investigation that ultimately uncovered the remains of 11 women in and around Sowell’s home. The victims, including 38-year-old African American woman Diane Turner, were found in various states of concealment—some buried in the backyard, others hidden in crawlspaces or wrapped in plastic bags within the house. The conditions of the bodies and the presence of ligatures suggested that many of the women had been strangled, though the exact cause of death for Diane Turner was listed as “homicidal violence of undetermined type.”
Anthony Sowell, a previously convicted sex offender, was arrested on October 31, 2009, after being spotted by a member of the public. He was later indicted on 85 counts, including multiple charges of aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape, and abuse of a corpse. The indictment included two counts of aggravated murder for each victim, including 38-year-old African American woman Diane Turner, with death-penalty specifications. Sowell was ultimately convicted on 82 counts and sentenced to death in 2011.
The case drew national attention not only for the horrific nature of the crimes but also for the systemic failures that allowed Sowell to remain free despite prior allegations and a history of violence. In 2018, the city of Cleveland agreed to a $1 million settlement with the families of six of the victims, including the family of Diane Turner, acknowledging investigative lapses that may have contributed to the continuation of Sowell’s crimes. The settlement was seen as a step toward accountability, though families emphasized that no amount of money could compensate for the loss of their loved ones.
