Chester Turner : “Los Angeles Serial Killer Charged in 1998 Utah Murder”

A notorious 14-time convicted murderer currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison has been charged with murder in connection with a 1998 strangling case in Utah. Chester Turner, known for his heinous crimes in Los Angeles during the 1980s and ’90s, has now been linked to the killing of a 22-year-old woman in Salt Lake City.

The breakthrough in the cold case came through DNA testing, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office. The victim, Itisha Camp, was found strangled with a scarf around her neck behind a business in Salt Lake City on September 24, 1998. She had also been sexually assaulted during the attack.

The DNA evidence on Camp’s scarf was a match to Chester Turner, who was on parole in Utah at the time of the murder. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill expressed relief for Camp’s family and the community, stating, “We hope the filing of this charge brings some relief to Ms. Camp’s loved ones and our entire community, knowing that the defendant is already behind bars.”

If convicted, this would mark Turner’s 15th murder conviction, following his previous convictions for 14 murders in Los Angeles County. Most of his victims were sex workers, including Itisha Camp, with one victim being six months pregnant.

No court dates have been set yet for Turner’s trial in connection with Camp’s murder. The case serves as a reminder of the relentless pursuit of justice, even in cold cases that span decades.