Dad is Andrew Bagby, and although Newfoundlander Shirley Turner never stood trial for his murder, she was the key suspect and she drowned herself and their toddler son, Zachary, while battling extradition to the U.S. Andrew was the Bagbys only son and Zachary, their only grandchild. We need each other, have each other to get through this.". On several occasions, he had summoned state troopers to order her to leave. 2023 SaltWire Network. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. David Bagby wrote a book, Dance With the Devil: A Memoir of Murder and Loss, in 2007; a documentary film, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About his Father was made by Andrews longtime friend Kurt Kuenne in 2008, with the Bagbys participation. Andrew Bagby or Bags as his friends call him was a man who amassed more friends than most during his 28 years. The Bagbys, who recently marked their 50th wedding anniversary, say it sustained them for nearly a decade as they struggled to come to terms first with the 2001 slaying of their 28-year-old son,. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. Acting on statements by Simpson and others, the Pennsylvania State Police contacted Turner. What he and his wife went through is truly disgusting. David Bagby later wrote a book about their tragic ordeal, choosing the title Dance with the Devil. [2]:84, Upon becoming pregnant, Turner married a long-time boyfriend during Memorial University's 1981 winter recess. David expresses his intense rage and his intense patience with Turner superbly. Its a string of perplexing events that began Nov. 5, 2001, and still isnt over. Ensure local journalism stays in your community by purchasing a membership today. Police concluded that she was attempting to frame the boyfriend for the planned murdersuicide. David Bagby IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Play trailer 2:39 Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) 1 Video 1 Photo Help contribute to IMDb. DAVID BAGBY OBITUARY. In a later interview with an assessment officer at the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, the supervising physician, in hindsight, described Turner as "a manipulative, guiltless psychopath." David Bagby wrote a book, "Dance With the Devil: A Memoir of Murder and Loss," in 2007; a documentary film, "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About his Father" was made by Andrew's longtime friend Kurt Kuenne in 2008, with the Bagbys' participation. David Bagby starts many sentences with To make a long story short , But the story of his sons brutal murder and the subsequent drowning of his grandson at the hands of the same woman isnt a short story. Turner killed herself and Zachary before she could be tried for murder. According to The New Yorker, the "heart of the [film's] narrative" centers around "Andrew Bagbys life and how horrible his death was for those who loved him.". After such wanton acts of cruelty that tore apart a family and a community, it is easy to question whether Shirley Turner was evil; indeed, many of her acts throughout her life, especially as events neared their conclusion, seem to have been . Asked if he would have done anything different back then, David replies, kill Shirley Turner.. In October 1993, a man boarding with Turner confided to his therapist that he had witnessed Turner physically and emotionally abusing two of her children. Coverage from the 2023 Canada Winter Games, Making Canada Better: Atlantic Canadians striving for change, VIDEO: Your daily elite-sports highlight package. The Dear Zachary Story, "After Canadian mother killed herself and their only grandchild, U.S. couple started 10-year fight to change Canada's bail laws", "I had the moral right to kill Shirley Turner", "Shirley Turner, son found dead | CBC News", "Turner psychiatrist ordered to pay $10,000", "Ask the filmmaker a question about 'Dear Zachary', No need for Zachary Turner to die: death review, "Top 5 Good Movies You Never Want To See Again", "Nearly 2 decades after the murder of a physician and his son a legacy of love survives", "Dear Zachary: Donations in Andrew's Memory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Andrew_Bagby_and_Zachary_Turner&oldid=1137739500, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, November 2001 events in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. MORRISON: Coming up, as David Bagby wrestles with these terrible thoughts, his wife sees something that rocks her to the core. I dont understand how that can be ignored.. People see this film and realize that they are so incredibly lucky to have everything they need to be happy.. Kuenne, a childhood friend of Andrews, started out to make the movie as a tribute to Andrew, but it kept taking on new meanings, first with Zacharys birth and then his death. They persevered through long, drawn-out, and complicated custody and extradition hearingseven as they struggled with their own griefonly to be met with further heartbreak. The Bagbys have stepped back from their involvement in organizations dealing with similar murder cases those supporting parents whose children were murdered. The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival, and was broadcast by MSNBC on 7 December 2008. Join Facebook to connect with David Bagby and others you may know. She was a homemaker and owned and operated a broiler grow out business with her husband. Select this result to view David Warren Bagby's phone number, address, and more. This book is more about how the justice system failed and 2 more people are dead because of it. The Bagbys moved their lives from Silicon Valley to Newfoundland to raise their grandson while Turner was in and out of police custody and up for extradition to the United States. A week after Andrew Bagbys murder, while American police were building a case against her, Turner fled to her native Canada. -Drafted and finalized press releases, articles, annual reports, websites, earnings releases and investor . and allowed to play Russian Roulette with her baby's and other people's lives is totally ludacris. ItsaCheckmate allows restaurateurs to focus on what matters: serving up delicious food and delightful dining experiences. Immortalized in the spellbinding documentary Dear Zachary, this angry, raw, and brutally honest memoir of murder and loss chronicles a systems failure to prevent the death of a child. This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 05:40. We want this story in as many heads as possible because we want people as upset and angry as we are, David Bagby said. His arguments towards the refusal of parole for alleged murderers is superb and really shows how idiotic the laws can be. After a short stint in a women's facility during the attempted murder proceedings, Turner was released on $75,000 bail. Infuriated, Bagby broke up with her, and she boarded a plane back to Iowa. Then, 8.5 months after Andrew Bagby was murdered July 18, 2002 Turner gave birth to a boy, who she named Zachary Turner. We were just words dont quite do it, said David Bagby, he and his wife sitting opposite each other on the couch in their newly unpacked living room in northwest Gilroy. When Kate reached down to wipe one away, she accidentally knocked out the plug used to mask his facial wound. David Bagby has written such a poignant account of the sordid happenings and has brought both Andrew and Zachary alive on the pages. In the early years, that included David writing a book, Dance With the Devil, about his sons and grandsons murders, and Kuennes documentary. Following the end of her first marriage on 29 January 1988, Turner married her boyfriend from Corner Brook the following July. A film about both murders called "Dear Zachary A Letter To A Son About. David is related to Sharon Lynn Johnson and Sherree Ann Bagby as well as 3 additional people. Kuenne finished his documentary and dedicated it to the memories of both Bagby and Zachary. On Nov. 5, Kate, who is originally from England, pictures Turner sitting on top of a Guy Fawkes bonfire and her family all around it with fireworks. In the early morning of 5 November 2001, she confronted Bagby at his residence, located across the street from his practice. A judge called Andrew's murder a vicious crime, but did not consider Turner a risk to others. He set out on an epic transatlantic journey to retrace the steps of his childhood friend, from California to Newfoundland to England Kate Bagbys homeland and where Andrew Bagby spent his summers. I agree whole heartedly, that things need to change. ", On 7 April 1999, Doucet found Turner lying semi-conscious outside of his apartment, having ingested a combined 65 milligrams of over-the-counter drugs in a suicide attempt. The day after her flight arrived back in Iowa, Turner began a 16-hour return trip to Pennsylvania to confront Bagby, bringing a handgun with her. Having watched the documentary about this case, I really needed to read this book. With its intended recipient now gone, Dear Zachary simultaneously became a memorial and a cry for justice, with the critics consensus at Rotten Tomatoes calling it both a touching tribute to a fallen friend and a heart-wrenching account of justice gone astray, skillfully put to film with no emotion spared.. Maybe it's being told your son was taken from you and then, with no consolation, immediately asking questions as to why he was where he was when he passed? Two years later, she gave birth to a daughter. Turner left her car parked near his home in the Kelligrews area of the town, with photographs of herself and Zachary, as well as a used tampon, on the front seat. Eight months later, Turner purchased a lethal amount of Lorazepam, drugged both herself and her infant son, strapped him to her chest, and jumped into the ocean at Conception Bay South in Newfoundland. Canadian officials also released her on bail even though she was detained as the culpable suspect in the case. For the first time in years, David Bagby and his wife Kate are decorating their home for Christmas. The other, their grandson, Zachary Turner. In 2009, MP Scott Andrews introduced Bill C-464, commonly known as Zacharys Bill, which obligates members of the judiciary to take the safety of children into account in bail hearings. He was a man whose smiling eyes and kind heart put friends, colleagues and strangers at ease. [19] The website Film School Rejects placed the film third in their "30 Best Films of the Decade" list. Sign up forThe Lineup's newsletter, and get our chilling investigations delivered straight to your inbox. Published by Statesville Record & Landmark . I read this book in a single day on 2 airplanes several months ago. Also among their group of friends was Matt Oetinger, the owner of Fernwood Cellars on Redwood Retreat Road. Turner insisted that she would earn "big money" after completing her post-residency training and would repay the savings for her children's post-secondary education. Zacharys arrival pierced the hatred toward Turner that flooded the Bagbys lives after they lost their only son. After mixing her lorazepam into Zachary's baby formula and ingesting a toxic dosage herself, Turner strapped the infant to her chest with her sweater and jumped off a fishing wharf at Foxtrap Marina into the Atlantic Ocean. [6] Turner gave birth to her second daughter on 8 March 1990, one year before she and her second husband separated. By the summer of 2000, Turner had completed the requirements of her residency training and was qualified to practice medicine. Andrews later said that the law "gives [the Bagbys] some sense that someone has heard their cries so this will not happen again, to change the law to make sure something this tragic will never happen again. However, he never came back from his meeting alive. Turner completed her undergraduate education while raising her children with help from her second husband. CONTRIBUTED BY DAVID BAGBY Kurt Kuenne met Andrew Bagby in first grade and instantly the two formed a special bond that has never wavered in the 18 years since Bagby's death. For readers interested in the emotional impact of violent crime, Dance with the Devil is a vulnerable, devastating book that cannot be missed. I wanted to read this book because I saw a snippet on MSNBC or one of those late night shows, (about the last 7-10 minutes of the show) that was actually the television version of what had taken place back in 2001. But its also the emotional toll of attending trials and hearing gruesome stories like theirs played out in court over and over. It seems like there could be nothing else to ask a man whos had to bear such stupefying tragedy. I can only imagine this book to be heartbreaking. However, his coworkers worst fears were confirmed the next morning, when Andrew Bagbys body was found by a park ranger in Keystone State Park. It pains me to award only two stars to a book written by David Bagby, but I want to use the Goodreads' ranking system more accurately. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. Since this was written by the first victim's father, little to no backstory was provided for the accused murderer. Archived Obituaries Its heartbreaking, said Kate, who recalls last seeing Zachary the evening before he was killed. Andrew Bagby, who never knew Turner was pregnant, was the father . You can download Dance with the Devil today, and stream Dear Zachary on Amazon Prime. You will get an email reminder before your trial ends. The couple was also involved in a support group for parents of murdered children and sat through three murder trials to try and help other surviving parents deal with their incredible grief. We just want as many people as possible to know this story, the documentary, for the practical reasons in my fantasies, I suppose some judge, some place, actually gets it and denies bail to somebody who could kill again, said David. One note had been addressed to Doucet and the other to her psychiatrist; the latter read, "I am not evil, just sick." INFORMATION Contact Us Letter to the Editor Press Release Privacy Policy Terms of Service, NEWSLocal NewsBusinessCrimeSchoolsPolitics, SPORTS Sports News High School Sports Gavilan College, CALENDAR All Upcoming EventsToday's EventsSubmit an EventPromote Your Event, OBITUARIES Not only do you get the whole story of how the justice system failed, but Dave goes on to explain how it should be fixed. On 4 November 2001, Turner made a total of three phone calls to Bagby's residence in Latrobe. [14] According to filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, Doucet later left Newfoundland and relocated elsewhere in Canada.[15]. Elijah Monroe and Lula Clark Holland on March 19, 1911. While that change felt good, David wanted more. When he broke up with her, he said that she called him incessantly, left threatening voicemails, struck him in the face, and followed him from Newfoundland to Pennsylvania, where she took a cocktail of over-the-counter drugs outside his apartment in an apparent suicide attempt. Tragic doesn't even come close to describing this case. They still have friends in the province, people Kate said they wouldnt have survived without. coroners office, who informed them of their sons death. After helping Kurt Kuene with his documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter from a father to his Son I was honored that David Bagby sent me his book as a thank you. He had been shot five times in the face, the chest, the buttocks, and the back of the head with CCI .22 bullets. Hed be about to enter senior high and might be planning his future. Despite the distance between states, Turner and Bagby initially tried to maintain a long-distance relationship. Astraport Tables The following day Doucet received a voicemail from a female caller who stated, "Dr. Turner died last night.". Sharing voices. "[2]:454, Turner was returned to jail in November 2002 pending a decision by the federal justice minister regarding whether she should be extradited to the United States. I always felt Shirley Turner was putting on a show, as if she were playing the role but had no feeling for her work. We need each other, have each other to get through this, added David. On 23 October 2009, Scott Andrews, then a Liberal MP from Newfoundland and Labrador, introduced Bill C-464, or "Zachary's Bill", which would change the Criminal Code of Canada to allow the courts to justify refusing bail to those accused of serious crimes in the name of protecting their children. Markesteyn ultimately concluded that internal disagreements between caseworkers and managers weren't openly discussed and that an intervention by an outside office should have been made. A review of Turner's and Zachary's deaths, released in 2006 by Winnipeg-based coroner Peter Markesteyn, concluded the provinces social services system failed Zachary and his death could have been prevented. We were done, Kate Bagby said, finishing her husbands thought, a quirk of their relationship that became apparent during a several-hour recount of how their lives spiraled out of control after that phone call from police. Date of Death: November 5, 2001. Some months ago I watched the documentary, "Dear Zachery" on Netflix. Some other equivalent (to Shirley Turner) could have been anywhere Andrew went, he said, allowing what happened had nothing to do with Newfoundland as a place. What's doubly upsetting about this is the way director KurtKuenne sets their story to home movies of Andrew as a young boy. Except he picked up as this reporter was leaving a voicemail explaining the call from Newfoundland to Sunnyvale, Calif. A heartbreaking in memoriam for Bagby and his wife Kates grandchild, Zachary Andrew, has been published in The Telegram. Written and directed by Kurt Kuenne, MSNBC Films and Oscilloscope Laboratories released Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father on 31 October 2008. They keep busy with friends, but when the thoughts come back, it weighs on them. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about wide receiver David Bagby on ESPN. But had Andrew not gone to medical school here and therefore never laid eyes on Turner, there are no guarantees he might have escaped his fate, Bagby said. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. The documentary began as a project intended to honor the memory of Kuennes childhood friend Andrew Bagby, who had been murdered in 2001. When Kuenne was putting together the documentary, he expected that the film might help the infant get to know the father he would never meet. Even though I knew the outcome, the day the main incident occurs, I was still shocked when the pages finally reveal the events that lead up to that day. The documentary started out as an homage to a murdered friendbut another tragedy was not far behind. Add a bio, trivia, and more. [22] The Dr. Andrew Bagby and son Zachary Bursary Fund supports students at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.[23]. When negative items would come up[,] she would change the topic to one of my failings. [2]:80 In 1980, Turner enrolled at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, seeking to embark on a medical career. This raw, gut-wrenching book also walks the reader back to the start of the action, when the ill-fated chain of events first began to unfold. He explains that as parents who lost a son, they "could do nothing but cry, all day,every day." The news and opinions youll love for only $10 for 1 year. The Bagbys, who recently marked their 50th wedding anniversary, say it sustained them for nearly a decade as they struggled to come to terms first with the 2001 slaying of their 28-year-old son, Dr. Andrew Bagby, and later with the murder of Andrew's son, 13 . Bringingattention to this film, after all,supports the cause of Kate and David Bagby, who, since becoming activists for bail reform, have helpedshepherdseveral positive changes to the Canadian legal system. She went so far as to discharge her family law lawyer because of his positive attitude towards the Bagbys. Do not get me wrong: it is a ver emotional history with a real case but I am not sure to have a book about it and I think that the family deserves respect. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Known for Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father 8.5 Self - Father 2008 Credits IMDbPro Thanks On 13 October, Turner told Bagby that she was three months pregnant. Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts. In 2010, Bill C-464 added a clause to the Criminal Code of Canada allowing bail to be denied if deemed necessary to protect a child, a change spurred by the Bagbys. While they could not have foreseen the murder or their son, Andrew, they did everything they could to keep their grandson, Zachery, safe. After a short stint in a womens facility during the attempted murder proceedings, Turner was released on $75,000 bail. Someone once said, "You can't take life too serious, you'll never get out alive!" Having a . However, in January 2003 Justice Welsh again released her, arguing that the murder "was not directed at the public at large" and that Turner was presumed to be innocent.[10]. The movie had me in tears and in rage all at once. In November 2001, Dr. Andrew Bagby, 28, was discovered in a Pennsylvania park by a homeless man looking for recyclables, shot multiple times. Curated newsletters for curious minds. Though the Bagbys shied away from media attention during the legal battle, well talk to anybody with a microphone now, David Bagby said, hoping their actions will put political pressure on Canadian lawmakers to reform bail laws. A portion of the film also shows Kuenne meeting Zachary in Newfoundland in July 2003 to celebrate his first birthday, one month before his death; Shirley Turner is present during the visit, but Kuenne avoids her. Creating stronger communities. A few months after Bagbys death, Turner gave birth to their son, whom she named Zachary. He had been shot five times and the No. View the profiles of professionals named "David Bagby" on LinkedIn. Thats Kates position, David Bagby said of the notion they will one day see Andrew and Zachary. In August 2000, Turner moved to Sac City, Iowa, to begin work for Trimark Physicians Corporation. Creating stronger communities. Related: 10 Eye-Opening True Crime Books by Mindhunter Author John Douglas. Lists about some of the most shocking and upsetting documentary films & series that you should totally watch anyway. Andrew had metTurner, who was 12 years his senior, while they were studying medicine at Memorial University in St. Johns. When another man scorns her during this time, she kills herself and the baby, all to the horror of Andrew's parents. Yes! Andrew Bagby, who never knew Turner was pregnant, was the father. The pair dated and were sexually intimate on two occasions afterward. Coverage from the 2023 Canada Winter Games, VIDEO: Your daily elite-sports highlight package, Making Canada Better: Atlantic Canadians striving for change, 2023 SaltWire Network. The news that Turner was pregnant with Bagby's child turned the extradition case into one involving child custody, and subsequently led to a complicated legal saga. A Memoir of Murder and Loss By: David Bagby Narrated by: Allan Edwards Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins 4.5 (127 ratings) Try for $0.00 1 title per month from Audible's entire catalog of best sellers, and new releases. More appropriately, it is written assuming we know the story and want to find out details of the why and the how. On a shelf in the California home of David and Kate Bagby, sitting inconspicuously among some lovely china, are two urns. Within days of the ruling, however, Turner sent her daughter back to live with her father in Portland Creek while her other two children were sent to Parson's Pond to live with their paternal grandmother. It's widely believed that if she hadn't been released, Zachary would probably still be alive today. On 18 August 2003, Zachary was scheduled to be in his mother's custody. After Zachary's birth on 18 July 2002, Turner initially refused to allow David and Kathleen Bagby to see their grandson, fearing they would kidnap him.