A former Muncie man, Di Morriea Di Ante Shaun Turner, 25, has been convicted of attempted murder after attempting to throw his then-17-year-old girlfriend in front of an oncoming train. A Delaware Circuit Court 4 jury found Turner guilty of the Level 1 felony on July 30, following a two-day trial.
Turner, now of Anderson, was also convicted of aggravated battery and domestic battery with a deadly weapon. The charges stemmed from an incident on June 19, 2019, when Turner, in a violent argument with his girlfriend, reportedly hurled her into the path of an oncoming train at a crossing on West 23rd Street in Muncie.
Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial, including a harrowing video captured by the train’s camera, showing Turner struggling with the victim as the train approached. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zach Craig played the video for the jury in his closing remarks.
The footage showed Turner holding the victim by her head and pushing her directly in front of the train, causing her to be struck. The victim sustained severe injuries and was initially transported to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. She was later airlifted to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where she underwent multiple surgeries, including facial reconstruction due to an open wound.
Additionally, staples were placed in her head, and she received stitches on her forehead. Turner’s defense attorney, Sam Beasley, argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove his client intended to kill the victim, and Turner did not testify during the trial, according to the Star Press.
Despite the defense’s claims, the jury deliberated for only 30 minutes before rendering the guilty verdict. In a statement, Prosecutor Craig emphasized the significance of the verdict, saying it should send a strong message that domestic violence will not be tolerated. “Domestic violence will never be tolerated,” Craig said.
Turner still faces 11 additional charges in four other cases, including battery on a person under 14, criminal recklessness, criminal trespass, and domestic battery. In July 2023, he was also charged with five drug-related offenses, including dealing in narcotics resulting in death, a Level 1 felony. His trial for these charges is scheduled for December 1.