Guilty Verdict in Biting, Beating of Toddler
By: Angie Koehle
Updated: April 23, 2010
INDIANA, INDIANA COUNTY - 20 year old Joshua Turner was convicted by a jury Thursday of first degree murder in the death of his girlfriend's toddler in October of 2008.
"If you see the pictures of what the doctors and nurses took, plus what we have, you can't help but want the death penalty for all of the pain and trauma he went through. Just the broken arm alone the doctor said was very painful for a 19 month old," the boy's step-grandmother Penny Shirley said.
Both the Shirley and Kathy Bish, the maternal grandmother of little Leonard McEntire want Turner to be sentenced to death.
"I'm definitely hoping that's what he gets because he deserves it," Kathy Bish said.
A jury took close to 2 hours to find the 20 year old guilty of first degree murder. He was accused of beating, biting and choking the 19 month old until the baby was unconscious then later died.
"When they came in and read the verdict it was what we were waiting to hear for some time," Shirley said.
Now Turner will head back to the Indiana County Courthouse Monday for the death penalty phase of his trial.
