WCDA Sentencing

Habitual Offender Convicted on Deadly Weapon Charge Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has announced that a Washoe County man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following a conviction on a charge of Battery with a Deadly Weapon.  Donald Keith Turley, Jr., 50, originally from Ohio, was sentenced in District Court by Judge Egan Walker to 20 years in prison with parole eligibility after 8 years.  Turley pled guilty last November and was adjudicated as a repeat offender after this office filed notice of intent to seek habitual criminal status based on a lengthy criminal history.  Turnkey’s record included 5 prior felony convictions for attempted murder, felony eluding, theft and drug offenses.    

In February, 2017, the Reno Police Department (RPD) responded to a report of a battery with a deadly weapon at a local motel.  When patrol officers arrived, they met with the female manager of the motel, who Turley had stabbed in the neck with a box cutter.  The woman was assisted at the scene by RPD officers and REMSA personnel.  The injury was three to four inches long and ultimately required stitches.  Further investigation determined that the manager had approached Turley earlier in the day of the attack about being an unregistered guest in the motel.  When the manager explained to Turley that he would be required to provide identification to the office if he was going to stay in a room with a registered guest, he became angry and cursed at the woman.  Despite his anger, Turley complied and provide identification to the office. Later that evening, the manager was walking along 4^th Street with her daughter when Turley approached from the opposite direction and attacked the victim without provocation.  Turley fled the scene but was apprehended a few days later by RPD when a Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper located Turley living under a freeway overpass.  The box cutter was also discovered with Turley and taken into evidence.   

At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Mathew Lee argued that this case, along with Turley’s criminal history demonstrated a consistent pattern of dangerous criminal conduct which warrants his removal from our community for a lengthy period of time.  The victim also presented a moving statement urging the court to consider the damaging impact of Turley’s actions.