Do you know who murdered Diamond Turner? Diamond Turner, age 21, was found dead on March 3, 2017, in a trash bin in the South Side neighborhood of Chicago. Her body was discovered by a garbage collector in the 7300 block of South Kenwood Avenue. Diamond was partially disrobed, face down in the trash bin. An autopsy later determined that she had died from asphyxiation and blunt force trauma to the head. She had been missing for two days prior to her body being found, last seen leaving a local sports bar.
This case caused concern in the community, particularly because of the brutal manner in which she was killed.
The investigation pointed towards Arthur Hilliard, who was in a relationship with Diamond at the time of her death. However, initial attempts to build a case against Hilliard lacked concrete evidence, leading to delays in making an arrest. It wasn't until January 2020 that DNA evidence linked Hilliard to Diamond's murder, and he was subsequently arrested. Witnesses reported suspicious behavior, such as seeing Hilliard clean up a trail of blood in his apartment and dispose of a trash can. DNA tests matched the blood found in his apartment to Diamond's, which finally led to his arrest.
Hilliard's arrest marked a significant moment, as it was the first arrest in a broader cluster of 51 female strangulations in Chicago that were believed to be connected. Investigations into Diamond’s death and related cases highlighted the alarming prevalence of unsolved murders of women in Chicago, particularly involving similar methods of asphyxiation and abandonment of bodies in secluded areas like dumpsters or alleys. Hilliard was also implicated in two other homicides, further complicating his legal situation and revealing a disturbing pattern of violence. He remains in custody as the case continues through the legal process.
