The tragic and heroic story of a sister's 23-year battle to find the truth about Alissa Turney
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Sarah Turney, the younger sister of Alissa Turney, currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona, as she continues her pursuit of justice for the murder of her half-sibling. The upcoming Oxygen docuseries 'Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney' will offer deeper insights into Sarah's life following Alissa's disappearance. Sarah had hoped that Alissa would step into a motherly role after their mother’s death, but her world shattered when she lost her half-sibling as well. For over two decades, she has relentlessly pursued justice for Alissa, even launching her investigation.
In this quest, Sarah uncovered the abuse Alissa endured at the hands of their father, Michael Turney. Police reports revealed that Alissa had confided in those close to her about her stepfather’s inappropriate behavior. Fueled by her desire for justice, Sarah launched a social media campaign to hold Michael accountable, even secretly recording a 2017 meeting in which she confronted him to uncover the truth about Alissa's disappearance. While the campaign resulted in Michael's arrest, he was later released due to insufficient evidence. Undeterred, Sarah continues to fight for Alissa, determined to secure the justice her sister deserves. She has been also helping other families get justice by investigating disappearance cases. The upcoming docuseries will feature interviews with Sarah uncovering the truth behind Alissa's mysterious disappearance.
What does Sarah Turney do?
'Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney' star Sarah Turney is an advocate, content creator, and podcast host. She studied arts at Paradise Valley Community College and completed a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature, General from Arizona State University West.
Shortly after her graduation, Sarah started her campaign for justice on social media. She has also founded the Voices for Justice Media campaign and has raised $2,610 in funds. Sarah's 'Voices for Justice' podcast has also won a People's Choice award from Discover Pods and best True Crime Podcast from The Quite The Thing Media annual podcast awards ceremony. Besides her sister Alissa's disappearance, Sarah has also investigated multiple cases through her podcast.
Sarah Turney lost her mom at age 4
Sarah Turney's mother, Barbara Farner, died of cancer when she was just four years old. She was raised by her sister Alissa Turney and father, Michael Turney. Recently, Sarah paid a heartfelt tribute to her late mother on the anniversary of her death. Sarah shared a series of throwback photos of her mother and wrote, "She died way too young at just 34, the same age I am now."
She added, "It's a harsh reality to face. But I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving me the strength and support I needed to start Voices for Justice. I would have never anticipated it, but through learning about Alissa's case, I learned so much about our mom I never knew." She wished she could remember more about her mother, but through her investigation, she learned that she was an incredible person.
Sarah Turney criticized Michael Turney in a Father's Day post
Sarah Turney has recently expressed appreciation for her father, Michael Turney, for teaching her "to seek justice, to stand up for what's right, and always encouraged my passion for writing so that I may tell his story someday." She included a Father's Day tribute featuring a series of videos in which Michael recorded Alissa Turney without her permission, criticizing him for his alleged crimes in the process.
She said, "To the man who threw me to the world when I was 12 and forced me to survive, showed me what abuse looks like, and made me understand that the people you share blood with can harm you the most." She added, "A judge may have acquitted you, but this is how you will be remembered... for the cruel, lying, abuser you are and always have been."
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'Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney' will premiere on Sunday, October 13 at 8 pm ET on Oxygen. Catch the extended version of the documentary on Tuesday, October 22 on Peacock.
