How TikTok Helped Solve Alissa Turney’s Cold Case Almost Two Decades Later

This article was originally published on absolutelyconnected.com and has been republished here with permission.

Alissa’s junior year at Paradise Valley High School ended on May 17, 2001. Her stepfather, Michael Turney, swore that it was like any other day where he dropped her off at school that morning and picked her up around midday. Except for this time, they allegedly had a huge fight, and Alissa stormed off. That’s when Michael and Alissa’s sister Sarah discovered a letter in her room. In it, she had revealed that she had run away to California, though strangely left her phone and all her belongings behind. Everyone, the police included, was left scratching their heads. But it was her sister Sarah who never gave up in her pursuit of the truth and took to TikTok to seek answers. In the end, she found them.

The Power of Social Media

Alissa Turney vanished in May 2001. Her step father told a dubious story about her final moments, and the case remained unsolved for two decades. Sarah Turney, Alissa’s younger sister, started using TikTok to look for answers nearly 20 years later. The crime was finally solved and justice was served thanks to a wide reach and favorable response. Here is how TikTok helped investigators solve Alissa Turney’s disappearance and murder.

Did you know that about 5 billion individuals use social media around the world? There is a reason why so many businesses invest in social media platforms for marketing purposes, but that is not the only benefit they offer. In some circumstances, such as Alissa Turney’s disappearance, social media can aid in the investigation of a crime.

Alissa Led Two Separate Lives

Alissa was a typical 17-year-old junior high student at the time of her abduction. She had been through a lot since her mother died, but she stayed at home with her stepsister Sarah and step father Michael Turney. While the stepsisters were amicable, their interactions with the home’s father were drastically different.

Michael was laid-back and easygoing when it came to dealing with Sarah. He was much stricter and more controlling with Alissa, however, because he considered she needed more direction. Alissa’s step father’s domineering style did not sit well with her as a confident teen, and she and her step father frequently clashed. Alissa was an entirely different person while she was in school. She was enthusiastic and welcoming instead of glum and argumentative.

Something Was Amiss – And It Was Serious

The last day of school before summer break was May 17, 2001, and students in Phoenix were ecstatic. Sarah stood waiting for her father to pick her up after celebrating the approaching vacation with a year-end celebration at Water World. Sarah chose to wait at a friend’s house after the agreed-upon pick-up time passed. Her father eventually arrived to retrieve her and delivered some devastating news. Alissa had vanished.

Sarah attempted to reach her sister using her father’s phone in a panic, but she was unable. Sarah became concerned after returning home and raced to Alissa’s room, but she was not there either. Instead, Sarah was confronted with a jumbled heap of Alissa’s belongings. The first important clue about Alissa’s whereabouts was next to her sister’s smartphone, which was still laying on top of her dresser.

A Mysterious Note With a Weak Excuse

Sarah was concerned about Alissa’s disappearance and looked for a sign that would lead her in the correct way to find her. Sarah just wanted to know she was safe. She struck gold when she discovered a note on the dresser next to Alissa’s cell phone.

“Dad and Sarah, When you dropped me off at school today, I decided I really am going to California. Sarah, you said you really wanted me gone – now you have it. Dad, I took $300 from you. That is why I saved my money..” The note was not completely unexpected. Tensions in the household had been high, and Alissa had previously threatened to move in with her aunt in California. Could Alissa have followed through on her threats?