Introduction to the Case
A man convicted of murdering his girlfriend — a prominent banking executive found dead inside her Reseda home — was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 10, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Anthony Duwayne Turner, now 57 and himself a former banking executive, was found guilty Aug. 12 of first-degree murder, burglary and forcible rape stemming from the August 2021 killing of Michelle Annette Avan, a senior vice president for Bank of America, just over four years ago. She had two children and one grandchild.
The Sentencing Hearing
The victim’s family members joined her friends in calling on Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler to impose the maximum sentence on Turner, who did not speak during the sentencing hearing.
The victim’s daughter, Nyah, called her mother a woman of poise, wisdom and grace, saying that she had been a mentor to many woman and that “her spirit lives on through all of us.”
“We waited patiently for this, almost four years on the dot. The legacy that you are leaving behind is one of disgrace,” she told Turner.
The victim’s son, Trevon, said Turner was “stupid” and thought that he was going to “get away with murder.”
The victim’s brother, Patrick Miller, called Turner a “predator” and “the monster who took her from us,” saying that the world will be “safer without him in it.”
Turner’s ex-wife, Anjanette Jones, called him “a danger to women and society, quite frankly.”
The Crime and Investigation
Avan was found dead by her son inside her bedroom in the 19300 block of Covello Street, near Tampa Avenue and Saticoy Street, in August 2021.
Prosecutors alleged that Turner beat and strangled the bank executive, while defense attorney Jovan Blacknell countered that what happened to the 48-year-old woman could have been “self-inflicted” by ramming her head into a bathroom counter.
Turner — who testified in his own defense — said he had gone to the woman’s home late Aug. 3, 2021, without calling or texting her to “finalize the breakup” after a number of previous breakups with her.
Turner said the two initially met in 2015 at an internal networking event and subsequently engaged in an affair while they were each married to other people.
He said the two maintained a “discreet” relationship even after they each divorced their spouses, saying he preferred not to be public about it and that she knew he spent time with other women during holidays.
Turner, who was captured on the victim’s surveillance video as he emerged from his vehicle, said he used the code she had given him for her security system and disarmed her alarm without turning it back on because he “didn’t expect to be there that long.”
Turner maintained that her bedroom door was “unlocked” and that she greeted him with a hug and kiss while wearing only a pair of panties.
“I wanted to permanently end the relationship,” he said, telling jurors that she became very upset and pleaded with him to give her another chance.
Turner testified that he eventually fell asleep while sitting in a chair as she sat on the edge of the bed, and that she was in the same position when he woke up about 4 a.m. the next morning.
Turner said the woman still seemed upset and tried to block him from leaving, but had no visible injuries to her face the last time he saw her standing on the stairs of her home when he came back inside the house to say goodbye after taking a bag containing his belongings out to his vehicle.
The Trial and Verdict
In her closing argument, Deputy District Attorney Cindy Wallace told the downtown Los Angeles jury that “the circumstantial evidence overwhelmingly points to guilt.”
“We know that he did not come there to break up with Michelle. … He came there to do what he’s always done — to beat her … to assert his control over her,” Wallace said, adding that he “ultimately raped and murdered Michelle.”
Wallace told the panel that DNA evidence collected from the woman’s cervix and her right breast indicated that “his DNA was there,” despite Turner’s claim that their last sexual encounter had occurred in late July 2021.
The prosecutor called the defense’s suggestion that the woman may have been so distraught and sad over the breakup that she hit her head over and over on a counter was a “fantastical lie” and didn’t explain how some of her other injuries had occurred.
Turner was charged with murder four days after Avan’s body was discovered, with a grand jury indictment returned against him.
Conclusion
The sentencing of Anthony Duwayne Turner to life in prison without the possibility of parole brings a sense of justice to the family and friends of Michelle Annette Avan. The case highlights the importance of holding perpetrators of domestic violence and murder accountable for their actions. It also serves as a reminder of the devastating impact that such crimes can have on the loved ones of the victims.
FAQs
Q: Who was Michelle Annette Avan?
A: Michelle Annette Avan was a senior vice president for Bank of America who was found dead inside her Reseda home in August 2021.
Q: Who was convicted of murdering Michelle Annette Avan?
A: Anthony Duwayne Turner, a former banking executive and Avan’s boyfriend, was convicted of her murder.
Q: What was the sentence imposed on Anthony Duwayne Turner?
A: Turner was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Q: What were the charges against Anthony Duwayne Turner?
A: Turner was charged with first-degree murder, burglary, and forcible rape.
Q: When was Michelle Annette Avan’s body discovered?
A: Avan’s body was discovered by her son inside her bedroom in August 2021.
Q: What was the cause of Michelle Annette Avan’s death?
A: Prosecutors alleged that Turner beat and strangled Avan, while the defense suggested that her death could have been self-inflicted.
Q: What was the verdict in the trial of Anthony Duwayne Turner?
A: Turner was found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, and forcible rape.
Q: When was Anthony Duwayne Turner sentenced?
A: Turner was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Q: What was the reaction of Michelle Annette Avan’s family members to the sentencing of Anthony Duwayne Turner?
A: Avan’s family members welcomed the sentence, with her daughter calling Turner’s legacy “one of disgrace” and her brother calling him a “predator” and “the monster who took her from us.”
Originally Published: October 10, 2025 at 9:10 PM PDT
