In the spring of 2020, a violent encounter in Little Rock, Arkansas, tragically cut short the life of 33-year-old Kiero Turner, a female resident of the city. On the evening of April 18th, the sound of gunfire pierced the night near the intersection of 29th and South Monroe Street. When officers from the Little Rock Police Department arrived at the scene around 9:46 p.m., they discovered Kiero deceased inside her vehicle from apparent gunshot wounds.
The investigation into her death quickly unfolded, revealing another victim and leading to a swift arrest.
Just a few streets away from where Kiero's body was found, her husband, 35-year-old Ricky Turner, was located with life-threatening gunshot injuries. He was able to inform the officers that he had been with his wife when the shooting occurred before he was rushed to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in critical condition. His injuries were so severe that detectives were initially unable to interview him to gather more information about the events that had transpired. Kiero’s body was taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy to officially determine the cause of her death.
The investigation progressed rapidly, and within a few days, a suspect was in custody. On April 21, 2020, detectives with the Little Rock Police Department, working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals, apprehended Anthony Thomas Jr. in connection with the fatal shooting. Thomas was subsequently charged with first-degree murder for his alleged role in Kiero Turner's death, bringing a suspect before the justice system as her family and community began to mourn their loss.
