Man killed his baby’s mom and grandma, then left child ‘to burn to death,’ feds say
A Maryland man was sentenced to decades in federal prison after prosecutors said he shot his baby’s mother in the head — killing her — as she held their infant, then fatally shot the boy’s grandmother.
After shooting Ebony and Wanda Wright, Keenan Turner shot another family member in the face inside a bedroom at Ebony Wright’s Washington, D.C., apartment in April 2021, according to prosecutors.
Before Turner left the apartment, he tried killing his baby by setting child custody paperwork ablaze and left him “to burn to death,” prosecutors said.
It was the first time he met the child, according to prosecutors, who said Turner wanted to “avoid paying child support.”
In July, McClatchy News reported that Turner was convicted of:
- two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravated circumstances
- assault with intent to kill while armed
- aggravated assault while armed
- attempted first-degree murder of a minor
- second-degree cruelty to children
- arson
- destruction of property
- four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence
- carrying a pistol without a license
The sentence
Now, a D.C. Superior Court judge has sentenced the 35-year-old Turner to 68 years in prison after the government argued in support of a life sentence without the possibility of release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in an Oct. 21 news release.
His defense attorneys didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment Oct. 22.
During the trial, Turner’s attorneys contended that a stranger killed Ebony and Wanda Wright and started the fire in Ebony Wright’s apartment, The Washington Post reported.
Turner, who was married during the killings and has another child, a daughter, gave an apology to “both sides of the family,” and said he would accept the sentence issued to him “like a man,” according to the newspaper.
He also said he wasn’t a “monster,” The Washington Post reported.
At trial, prosecutors discussed how Turner previously dated Ebony Wright. After she became pregnant, he wanted her to have an abortion, prosecutors said.
Investigators learned Turner was married and his wife was unaware he had an affair — as well as a child — with Ebony Wright, who Turner knew from high school, according to court documents, McClatchy News reported.
When Ebony Wright refused to terminate her pregnancy, Turner stopped communicating with her, prosecutors said.
She filed a custody and child support lawsuit against him, according to prosecutors.
On Jan. 31, 2021, Ebony Wright texted Turner: “(It’s) been almost a month since your son has been born. Are you still gonna try to pretend that he doesn’t exist,” an affidavit shows.
Turner never responded, according to the affidavit.
Months later, Ebony Wright heard from Turner on April 12, 2021, according to prosecutors, who said he wanted to meet his baby.
After meeting with Ebony Wright and her family in her home, Turner went to use the bathroom, came back with a gun and killed Ebony Wright and her mother, prosecutors said.
Destiny Wright, Ebony Wright’s sister, was in a bedroom when she heard the gunshots, she testified at trial, The Washington Post reported.
Turner found her hiding in the bedroom closet and shot her — but she survived and heard her nephew’s cries, according to the newspaper.
After Turner fled, Destiny Wright saved the boy as the apartment was on fire and called 911, prosecutors said.
“Without hearing his cry after I got shot, I wouldn’t have wanted or tried to get up,” Destiny Wright said in court, according to The Washington Post. “That one cry is what got me up, got me out of that closet, run down the hallway and to the dining room, past the fire and out the door where I was able to call help.”
When Turner went to leave the apartment, “a unique tattoo on his arm” was seen as he tried to take down a Ring camera on Ebony Wright’s front door, prosecutors said in a previous news release.
The Ring camera footage captured Turner arriving at Ebony Wright’s apartment that evening — while dressed in all black — wearing a hoodie with the hood over his head, a black mask, and black head gear, according to the affidavit, McClatchy News reported. It appeared as if he was trying to hide himself, authorities wrote.
Prosecutors said that Turner had a “complete lack of remorse.”
This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 6:19 AM with the headline "Man killed his baby’s mom and grandma, then left child ‘to burn to death,’ feds say."
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