A New Castle County jury has found Gordon Turner guilty of first-degree murder and related offenses in connection with the death of University of Delaware graduate student.
On Friday jurors returned the verdict less than a day of deliberations following a trial that began last monday.
The case stems from the afternoon of April 29, 2025, when Newark Police located a stolen U-Haul van in a shopping center parking lot near Main Street. According to investigators, officers approached the vehicle after learning it had been reported stolen. Turner and a passenger returned to the van as officers attempted to take him into custody.
Authorities said Turner entered the driver’s seat and fled the parking lot. Police did not pursue the vehicle and remained within the shopping center. Moments later, Turner accelerated westbound on East Main Street before losing control near Haines Street.
Investigators said the U-Haul struck two pedestrians, including 24-year-old University of Delaware graduate student Marina Vasconcelos. The vehicle then crashed into several parked vehicles and other cars, creating a chain-reaction collision that injured eight additional people. Vasconcelos was pronounced dead at the scene. Another University of Delaware student suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The conviction closes the criminal trial but has renewed attention regarding a series of earlier encounters Turner had with the justice system before the fatal crash.
According to Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams, Turner was arrested in Cecil County, Maryland, on June 21, 2023, on firearm and ammunition charges. Sheriff Adams said court records showed Turner was released the following day on a $10,000 unsecured bond despite checks indicating he was wanted by Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
After being charged as a fugitive from justice, Turner waived extradition and a judge ordered Pennsylvania authorities to take custody of him by June 26, 2023. Sheriff Adams said Pennsylvania authorities were notified and provided the necessary paperwork but failed to pick Turner up before the court-ordered deadline, resulting in his release from custody.
Less than a month later, on July 25, 2023, Turner was arrested again by Maryland State Police and charged with multiple offenses, including attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, assault, firearm violations, and other related charges. He was held without bond at the Cecil County Correctional Facility.
Court records show that on May 13, 2024, Turner was sentenced on the 2023 firearm case. He received a five-year sentence with all but one year suspended for illegal possession of a firearm, while a separate ammunition conviction resulted in a one-year suspended sentence.
That same day, the attempted murder and related charges stemming from the July 2023 arrest were dropped by Maryland prosecutors for lack of witness cooperation. Sheriff Adams said checks conducted before Turner’s release again showed he was wanted by Lancaster County authorities. Turner was once more charged as a fugitive from justice, waived extradition, and was ordered held for pickup by Pennsylvania authorities.
According to Adams, Pennsylvania authorities again failed to take custody of Turner before the court-ordered deadline expired. Turner was subsequently released for a second time.
At the time the information was released, the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office said it also held an outstanding warrant for Turner related to an alleged probation violation connected to the 2023 firearm case.
Now that he has been convicted, Turner faces a mandatory life prison sentence following his conviction in the death of Marina Vasconcelos. Sentencing is expected in the coming months.
