Amanda Turner at her sentencing hearing (WCPO/YouTube).
A Kentucky family will be spending this Christmas — and many more to come — within the confines of the Department of Corrections.
The case concerning the murder of Seth Burns in 2023 has finally concluded, resulting in the sentencing of four family members to prison and another to probation. Amanda Turner, the family’s matriarch at 40 years old, received a 12 1/2-year prison sentence on Monday. She was convicted alongside her sons Jackie Turner, who was sentenced to 30 years for firing the fatal shot, and Xxavion Turner, who received a three-year sentence for instigating the incident. Additionally, her daughters Keavier Turner (18 months) and Lakera Hughes (five years probation) were also convicted for their involvement in the rioting.
In her guilty plea, Amanda Turner admitted to facilitating the murder, participating in the riot, engaging in unlawful transactions with a minor, and allowing a minor to possess a gun illegally. Jackie Turner, who is now 18 years old, was a minor at the time of the shooting.
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During Amanda Turner’s sentencing, Barbara Burns, the victim’s mother, expressed her sentiments, stating, “I feel like you and your family acted with complete disregard and malice for any human life,” as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
She also had some choice words after the hearing.
“I don’t know what kind of mother takes their kids to go shoot someone else’s child. It makes no sense to me,” she told reporters. “I think they all deserved at least 30 years for what they did.”
As Law&Crime previously reported, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders told the Enquirer that the posts that started the conflict related to “insults about children and parenting skills, or lack thereof.” The dispute was between Xxavion Turner, 21, and his ex-girlfriend, who was then reportedly dating Burns.
According to criminal complaints obtained by Law&Crime, Amanda Turner drove her two sons, whom she knew were carrying guns, and two daughters to a home so they could fight Xxavion Turner’s ex-girlfriend and other people on Aug. 25, 2023. Xxavion Turner sent his ex-girlfriend a picture of a Google map showing they were en route and ready to fight. When they arrived, Xxavion Turner allegedly fired a shot in the air and toward Burns. His younger brother also shot Burns, which was believed to be the fatal wound.
Amanda Turner then drove her sons away from the scene to “avoid police detection,” the complaint said. Witnesses rushed Burns to a nearby fire station and he was airlifted to a hospital where he later died.
Amanda Turner pleaded guilty in September while Jackie Turner pleaded guilty to murder in July.
During a September hearing, she admitted to driving her sons to what she called a “girl fight,” the Enquirer reported. She also said she encouraged the fight in text messages. Part of the incident was reportedly caught on a neighbor’s Ring camera, which showed the Turner family, along with Xxavion Turner’s current girlfriend, all streaming out of a vehicle and walking up to the home.
Burns’ family has said that he had nothing to do with the confrontation.
“My son literally was an innocent victim in this,” his father Michael Burns said, according to Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO. “He didn’t know this man, he didn’t know anybody in that family. He happened to be in the car with his girlfriend when she got the call that they were on their way.”
“It was dumb,” said Lape, WCPO reported. “This is absolutely dumb.”
