BYU student tries to poison wife so he can continue looking at p*rn

http://www.harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=64234&mode=thread&order=0

PROVO -- Provo police are investigating charges that a part-time BYU student tried to kill his pregnant wife last year by poisoning her food and putting acid in her medication because she objected to his use of p*rnography.

Paul William Turner, 26, was arrested Monday and booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of aggravated attempted murder after turning himself in to police, Provo Police spokeswoman Karen Mayne said.

Fourth District Judge Gary Stott set Turner's cash-only bail at $250,000 on Tuesday and ordered him to appear before Judge James Taylor on Nov. 8.

Deputy Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman said he received the case from investigators Thursday and would review it today to consider formal charges against Turner.

Turner told police he put rat poison in a batch of cookies on July 14, 2001, according to a report filed with the court by Provo Detective Aaron Mullins and Officer N.G. Kogianes. Mullins said Turner told investigators that he made a second attempt to kill his wife two weeks later by adding what he believed were poisonous mushrooms from the family's back yard to a spaghetti dinner.

Turner stated that he tried again two weeks later, Mullins said, replacing medication his wife was taking to prevent blood clots during the pregnancy with hydrochloric acid later found to be fish tank cleaner.

Turner was arrested after completing his statement, Kogianes said.

BYU suspended Turner on Thursday, said Carri Jenkins, a BYU spokeswoman. Jenkins said Turner listed his hometown as Chicago Park, Calif.

Mullins declined to release the name of Turner's wife but said she and the child weren't harmed and are suffering no ill effects from the alleged homicide attempts.

Mullins said the police investigation is ongoing and declined further comment.

Turner called police Monday and requested to talk to officers at the family's Provo home. The police news release said, "Turner stated that because of personal reasons stemming from an addiction to p*rnography, he felt it necessary to dispose of his wife."

Turner told Judge Stott he moved to Provo from California two years ago. Stott ordered Turner not to make any attempts to contact his wife.