Witnesses to the slaying of the retired Orlando police officer killed on New Year’s Day told investigators the man was shot in the back by his father-in-law, court records show.
Dennis Turner, 64, served as an officer with the Orlando Police Department for 23 years before retiring in 2018. Jeffery Bernard London, 58, of Clermont, was arrested in Turner’s killing. He has been charged with second-degree murder with a firearm and is currently in custody at the Orange County Jail, records show.
New court documents identify London as Turner’s father-in-law. Police had initially said the shooting involved a family dispute but gave no specific details.
Officers responded to a home on Kozart Street near Carver Middle School around 7 p.m. and found Turner lying on his back in the front yard with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso and neck area. He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he died from his injuries, according to London’s arrest warrant affidavit.
After speaking with witnesses, officers identified London as the suspect and determined that he fled the scene in a white Mercedes Benz registered to him. The car was captured on “public safety cameras” heading to the scene and then leaving the area a few minutes later, the affidavit said.
One of London’s relatives, who is not named in the affidavit, told officers he was grilling food in the home’s carport and socializing with Turner and others when London’s car pulled into the driveway. He said London then walked over to Turner and had a conversation with him, but the relative couldn’t hear what was being discussed.
The relative saw Turner begin to walk away from London, but London pulled out a handgun and shot Turner in the back. Turner fell to the ground and rolled over, trying to crawl away, but London stood over the victim and shot him several more times, according to the relative. London then fled in his Mercedes.
Officers also spoke to Turner’s wife, who the affidavit identified as London’s daughter but did not name.
The wife said she hadn’t spoken to London in several months and that there was a past verbal dispute between London and Turner around July, according to the affidavit. Since then, she and Turner had blocked all communications with London, and London hadn’t been invited to or present at family gatherings. The affidavit isn’t clear on whether London was invited to that night’s gathering.
London’s car was found and stopped in Highlands County. He was detained and transported to the Highlands County Sheriff s Office for an interview, where he requested a lawyer, the affidavit said. His clothes matched a description given by his unnamed relative who had spoken to officers.
The affidavit said London was convicted of homicide in 1985, although it didn’t provide details, and that he was convicted of aggravated battery later that year.
London’s in-jail arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 26.