Joseph Ture Jr.

American Serial Killer

Joseph Donald Ture Jr. (born February 7, 1951) is a notorious American serial killer whose heinous crimes spanned central Minnesota from 1978 to 1980. With a chilling tally of at least six murders, Ture's most infamous act was the brutal slaying of four members of the Huling family in Clearwater, Minnesota, during a burglary in December 1978. This was followed by the murders of two female college students in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area in 1979 and 1980. Today, Ture is serving six life sentences at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater.

Quick Facts

• Born: Joseph Donald Ture Jr. (February 7, 1951)
• Age: 74
• Place of Birth: St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
• Conviction: First-degree murder
• Criminal Penalty: Life imprisonment
• Victims: 6+
• Span of Crimes: December 15, 1978 – September 26, 1980
• Country: United States
• State: Minnesota
• Date Apprehended: October 30, 1980
• Imprisoned at: Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater, Bayport, Minnesota

Early Life

Joseph Donald Ture Jr. was born into a troubled home in St. Paul, Minnesota. When he was just 10 years old, his parents divorced, and custody was awarded to his father. However, Ture spent much of his childhood in an orphanage, which likely contributed to the instability in his early life. In his late teens, he briefly joined the U.S. Marine Corps, but his service lasted only about six months. Returning to St. Paul, he struggled to make ends meet, holding various low-skilled jobs and experiencing financial hardship that saw him living out of his car at times.

Known Crimes

The Huling Family Murders

The morning of December 15, 1978, marked a turning point in Ture's life—and not for the better. He entered the home of 36-year-old Alice Huling in Clearwater, Minnesota. In a shocking act of violence, Ture fatally shot Alice with a shotgun. He then ascended to the children’s bedrooms, where he tied up her three children: 16-year-old Susan, 12-year-old Patti, and 13-year-old Wayne. Tragically, he executed each of them in cold blood. Only 11-year-old William "Billy" Huling survived, hidden from Ture's view.

Just four days after this horrific crime, Ture's luck ran out. He was apprehended at a pizzeria for auto theft, but investigators had no idea of the magnitude of the atrocities he had just committed.

The Murders of Marlys Wohlenhaus and Diane Edwards

On May 8, 1979, Ture struck again. Nineteen-year-old Marlys Ann Wohlenhaus returned home from school, completely unaware that Ture had broken into her house and was waiting for her. In a gruesome attack, he sexually assaulted her and then brutally beat her to death with a blunt instrument. Marlys’ mother made the devastating discovery of her daughter’s lifeless body later that day.

Throughout 1979 and 1980, Ture continued his spree, targeting young women. In one horrifying series of events, three teenage girls were lured into his vehicle during separate incidents and subsequently raped.

The final known victim, 19-year-old Diane Edwards, was a University of Minnesota student. On September 26, 1980, as she walked home from her waitress job at a Perkins Restaurant in West St. Paul, Ture abducted her. He took her to nearby woods, where he committed unspeakable acts, sexually assaulting and stabbing her to death. Her body was discovered on October 3, 1980, near Elk River.

Arrest and Incarceration

On October 30, 1980, fate caught up with Ture when he was arrested for the rapes of a 13-year-old Minneapolis girl and two other women. As police began to dig deeper into his past, they connected him to the murder of Diane Edwards. Eyewitness accounts from at least five witnesses who saw her abduction pointed to Ture’s vehicle—a rusted 1974 Ford Galaxie. Four teenage girls identified him as the man who forced Edwards into his car.

In April 1981, Ture was convicted of rape and kidnapping in connection with these assaults and sentenced to 30 years in prison. But this was just the beginning. Investigators soon indicted him for the murder of Diane Edwards based on eyewitness testimony placing him at the scene. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Interestingly, after his conviction, Ture confessed to the 1978 murders of the Huling family, only to quickly recant his statements. This flip-flopping raised eyebrows and led to further investigations into his past. In 1982, just hours after being placed in the general prison population at Stillwater, Ture was assaulted by several inmates, resulting in a broken nose.

Revelations and Further Convictions

Despite being eligible for parole in 2008, Ture found himself back in the spotlight in 1996 when a grand jury indicted him for the murder of Marlys Wohlenhaus. Initially cleared due to a fabricated alibi, new investigations revealed the truth, leading to his indictment.

In a twist of fate, Ture was interviewed on the television show 48 Hours, where he maintained his innocence. Shockingly, just days after the episode aired, multiple young women came forward, claiming they recognized Ture as the man who had assaulted them in the 1970s. Many of these victims had worked as waitresses, leading police to believe Ture had stalked them before attacking.

In 1997, Ture was convicted of Marlys Wohlenhaus's murder, receiving an additional life sentence. During his time in prison, he allegedly bragged to a cellmate about committing the 1979 murder of Joan Bierschbach, a 20-year-old girl. By 1999, Ture was indicted for the Huling family murders, and in 2000, he was sentenced to life imprisonment once more. Throughout it all, Ture has maintained his innocence, claiming authorities used him to solve cold cases.

In Popular Culture

Ture's crimes have left an indelible mark on popular culture. The documentary series Cold Case Files featured the investigation into his murders in Season 2, Episode 11, titled "Murder on the Menu." Additionally, the American punk rock band Hüsker Dü released the poignant song "Diane" in 1983, which is based on the tragic murder of Diane Edwards, Ture's last known victim.

See Also

• List of serial killers in the United States

Sources

• Adams, Jim (February 2, 2000). "Joseph Ture Jr. is found guilty of 1978 Huling family murders." Star Tribune.
• "Convict suspected in murder cases." Daily News. September 13, 1996.
• Offender Information.
• Volel, Jennifer; Baran, Madeleine (October 11, 2016). "Joseph Ture Jr." AMPreports.
• Adams, Jim (August 1, 1996). "Family, investigators haven't forgotten teen slain in 1979." Star Tribune.
• "Man questioned in murder case." The Winona Daily News. Associated Press. November 9, 1980.
• "Ture convicted of rape, kidnap of 13-year-old girl." Star Tribune. April 7, 1981.
• Klauda, Paul (May 27, 1981). "Grand jury to be called in Diane Edwards case." Star Tribune.
• Adams, Jim (February 2, 2000). "Joseph Ture Jr. is found guilty of 1978 Huling family murders." Star Tribune.
• "Ture beaten by inmates at Stillwater Prison." Star Tribune. January 20, 1982.
• "Ture hospitalized after attack." St. Cloud Times. Associated Press. January 20, 1982.
• Guatafson, Paul (December 24, 1996). "Convicted murderer indicted in 1979 death of Afton teen." Star Tribune.
• "To Catch a Killer." CBS News. March 8, 2000.
• "Cold Case Files" Murder on the Menu.
• Headley, Janice (October 17, 2019). "13 Songs for Halloween: 'Diane' by Hüsker Dü." KEXP-FM.

Wikipedia Article