In Columbus, Mississippi, the life of 25-year-old Ashanti Jade Turner, an African American female, was tragically cut short in what has been ruled a homicide. Her body was discovered on a Tuesday morning in April 2024, left in the yard of an abandoned duplex on Industrial Street. Police were alerted to the scene by an anonymous phone call. Investigators believed her body had likely been there overnight.
The investigation quickly centered on a person of interest, Damian Peterson, who was identified as Turner's boyfriend. Initially, Peterson was taken into custody on unrelated charges of two counts of aggravated assault and one count of shooting into a dwelling. However, these charges were soon followed by a murder charge in connection with Turner's death. Peterson, 31 years old at the time of the incident, remains incarcerated at the Lowndes County jail.
Known to her loved ones as Jade, Ashanti was remembered as an outspoken and beloved member of the community. Her death prompted an outpouring of support for her family, with community members organizing events to help with funeral expenses. She was a graduate of New Hope High School and had been employed at several local restaurants. She is survived by her parents and a son. Funeral services were held at Fairview Baptist Church with her burial at Gibbs Family Cemetery.
