The Vanishing of Alissa Turney: A Desert Mystery

When 17-year-old Alissa Turney vanished from her Phoenix high school in 2001, her stepfather claimed she ran away to California. But her abandoned phone, untouched paycheck, and sudden silence told a darker story. Two decades later, a shocking arrest turned this cold case into a courtroom cliffhanger. Was this a teenage runaway—or a carefully staged cover-up of an unsolved disappearance?

In this episode of Murder U, we trace the final hours of Alissa’s life, the strange behavior of her stepfather, Michael Turney, and the relentless efforts of her sister, Sarah Turney, whose viral true crime podcast helped bring national attention to the case. From early failures by law enforcement to a trial that ended in a judge’s stunning dismissal, we explore how one of Arizona’s most haunting missing person cases became a symbol of family advocacy, accountability, and the long fight for justice.

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