WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A man accused of a 2009 murder pled guilty, making it the first cold case conviction in the history of the West Sacramento Police Department.
Robert Spurlin pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Friday for the June 13, 2009 murder of Monica Turknett.
Spurlin was arrested July 23, 2022 on suspicion of being connected to the homicide, according to the West Sacramento Police Department.
Officials say at the time of the incident, Spurlin was a live-in boyfriend of Turknett, who was living in West Sacramento.
Originally officers were called to 460 Maple Street where they found a woman dead inside the home.
In April 2022, investigators reviewed the case and continued work on it, getting additional information about the victim’s life and events leading to her death. Their work led to Spurlin’s arrest 13 years later.
Multiple agencies, including some in Washington and Louisiana were involved in the conviction of Spurlin, according to a press release.
"This case was incredibly impactful for the Turknett family, their friends, the community, and the officers involved in the investigation," said the press release. "The West Sacramento Police Department hopes this brings some closure and a degree of peace to Monica’s family, friends and loved ones."
