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You are here: Home / Forensics / Cold Case of Lysandra Marie Turpin Solved!

Cold Case of Lysandra Marie Turpin Solved!

April 8, 2010 By Alice

Turpin/Courtesy CBS

The remains of  Lysandra Marie Turpin who went reported missing in 1988 have been found after a man who witnessed her murder as a teenager, contacted Northern California law enforcement, 22 years after the crime.

In April of 1988, 27-year-old Lysandra Marie Turpin was reported missing in Humboldt County. She was never found and officials have had few clues, until this year. In February, a 38-year-old North Carolina man called the Humboldt County Sheriff’s office and said when he was 16-years-old, he witnessed his father kill Turpin.

the ditch/courtesy CBS

The man told deputies his father, Ernest Samuel Christie Jr., kidnapped Turpin, held her hostage in their home in Fieldbrook, and then killed her after weeks of abuse. The man said his father forced him to help him dispose of Turpin’s body in a ditch, cover it with tires and set it on fire. Deputies went to the area and found teeth, clothing and charred bones. On Wednesday, forensic scientists positively identified the remains as Turpin. Christie, Jr. died in June of 2006.

the tree stump/courtesy CBS

Christie’s son also told deputies about other crimes committed by his father. He said Christie had once held a woman prisoner inside a large Redwood tree stump but she had escaped. Christie’s son was also able to lead deputies to that location where they found a carpet, plastic jugs, syringes and clothing inside the stump after using a chainsaw to get inside. The victim in the case has since passed away.

Christie’s son, Ernest Samuel Christie, III is not facing any charges. Read the article here.

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Filed Under: Forensics, Solved Tagged With: Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Lysandra Marie Turpin, Missing Person, North Carolina

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Author Notes

I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era. They need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals.

Posts include homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more.

My databases are sorted by the victim’s last name. They are free to the public.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you cannot find the answers there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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