In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a young woman's life was tragically cut short in a violent act that stunned the community. Jenna Elyce Leakey, an 18-year-old Caucasian female, was killed on the night of March 27, 2017. A recent graduate of Snider High School, Jenna was known for her free spirit, her love for animals, and her creative passion for drawing and heavy metal music. She was engaged to be married to a man from Finland.
The events that led to her death unfolded at the home of Tyler Turner, the ex-boyfriend of Jenna's 20-year-old friend, Hailey Nelson. Investigators believe that Turner, fueled by jealousy over Hailey's recent engagement to another man, opened fire on both women. The two friends were chased between houses as Turner continued to shoot at them, a grim trail of shell casings marking their desperate flight. Jenna was found in the front yard of a home and died at the scene. Hailey Nelson was also shot and later died at a hospital.
After shooting Jenna and Hailey, Turner barricaded himself inside his residence. In the immediate aftermath, he sent chilling text messages to Hailey's fiancé, stating, 'I just shot your fiancée' and 'RIP dude.' When a SWAT team later entered the home, they found Turner deceased. The coroner ruled his death a suicide, concluding the incident as a double murder-suicide.
The investigation revealed a history of obsessive behavior from Turner towards his ex-girlfriend, Hailey. His jealousy over her new relationship was determined to be the motive for his violent actions. With the perpetrator deceased, the investigation into the deaths of Jenna Leakey and Hailey Nelson concluded with no further arrests or legal proceedings. The community was left to mourn the sudden and senseless loss of two young lives.
