In its 33rd year, Dateline NBC—NBC’s longest-running primetime series, back with a compelling case on a Friday evening: the enigmatic disappearance of 17-year-old Alissa Turney, who went missing from Phoenix, Arizona, in 2001. The show is hosted by Lester Holt and has correspondents such as Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison, and Dennis Murphy.
The Disappearance of Alissa Turney
On May 17, 2001, Alissa Turney, a junior in high school at the time, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Her unexpected vanishing was initially handled as a runaway case, particularly after a note appeared on her desk that she was off to California to live with an aunt. The theory was soon dismantled, though, after members of her family and friends started questioning the lines.
Alissa left behind essential items such as her vehicle, cell phone, cosmetics, and almost $1,800 in her savings. Most importantly, the aunt she allegedly went to live with reported that Alissa never showed up.
“I wasn’t concerned,” Alissa’s younger sister, Sarah, said in a 2020 interview with People Magazine. “I thought she was going to be back. I don’t think she was gone forever was something that ever entered my head.”
Life Before She Disappeared
Alissa was born on 3 April 1984 and brought up in Phoenix in a blended family. She lived after her mother died of cancer under the care of her stepfather, Michael Turney, who legally adopted her. Alissa’s friends reported that she frequently spoke about Michael as being too controlling. He installed security cameras around their house, which further contributed to the fear.
Last Seen and Initial Investigations
Michael Turney was the last person known to have seen Alissa. He explained to authorities that they had lunch and fought before he dropped her off at home. He reported that he then got a phone call from her later in the day, purportedly from one of California’s payphones. There was no further evidence supporting this claim, and the case languished.
Astonishingly, the police took no direct action to search their house or investigate Michael further. Years passed with little or no developments.
“Nobody searched for her,” Sarah afterwards explained in a TikTok video. “Not anyone in my family. The police didn’t do anything even though she was reported missing. Nothing much was happening until 2006.”
Renewed Attention and Legal Battle
The investigation was reopened in 2006, and the focus turned towards Michael Turney as the prime suspect. Finally, after all the years of campaigning, Sarah went on social media, raising national awareness for the case and calling for justice. In 2020, Michael was arrested.
But the legal push finally fell apart in 2023 when a judge decided that there was not sufficient evidence to have him convicted.
“I have no idea where Alissa is, alive or dead,” said Michael in a Dateline interview.
A Sister’s Continuing Quest
To date, the body of Alissa has not been discovered. Her case remains unsolved, and Sarah persists in seeking solutions, still holding out hope while facing the reality of pain.
“In my heart, I feel absolutely sure that Alissa is no longer here,” Sarah said to The New York Times in 2020. “It took me a very, very long time to reach that point, and there was so much guilt there when I did.”
