A Los Angeles jury has found the ex-boyfriend of Michelle Annette Avan, a respected Bank of America senior vice president, guilty of first-degree murder.
This brings a measure of justice nearly four years after her tragic death.
Avan, 48, was discovered by her son in August 2021, lying dead in her bed at her Reseda home on Covello Street. The beloved mother of two and grandmother of one was a trailblazing Black woman in banking, widely admired for her leadership and community involvement.
On Tuesday, jurors convicted Anthony Duwayne Turner, 56, not only of murder but also burglary and forcible rape. Special circumstance allegations that the killing occurred during the commission of both burglary and rape, were found true, meaning Turner faces life in prison without the possibility of parole when sentenced on Oct. 10.
Prosecutors said Turner brutally beat and strangled Avan after entering her home late on Aug. 3, 2021. Surveillance footage showed him arriving at the property, disarming her security system with a code she had previously given him. The defense, led by attorney Jovan Blacknell, claimed her death could have been “self-inflicted,” an argument jurors rejected.
Turner and Avan had met in 2015 at a corporate networking event and engaged in a long-term romantic relationship, which continued even after both divorced their spouses.
According to testimony, their relationship had been marked by repeated breakups, with Turner stating he went to her home that night to “finalize the breakup.”
The conviction marks the end of a high-profile case that shook the Los Angeles banking and business community, where Avan was celebrated not only for her professional achievements but also for mentoring young professionals and advocating for diversity in the financial sector.
