Canadian police arrested Dr. Shirley Turner on Wednesday, the first step toward returning her to the United States to stand trial for the slaying of Dr. Andrew Bagby, a resident at Latrobe Area Hospital.
Turner, 40, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, appeared yesterday before the Newfoundland Supreme Court for a hearing after her arrest in St. Johns, Newfoundland, by the Newfoundland Royal Constabulary on a provisional warrant that accuses her of "calculated and premeditated murder."
The physician was released on her own recognizance after the hour-long hearing. She must remain in St. Johns until Canadian authorities decide whether to honor a U.S. extradition request.
The request for the arrest warrant was made by Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck, who accused Turner of being a flight risk. Even though Turner has broken no Canadian laws, her trip to Newfoundland indicates she has no intention of returning to the United States, Peck said.
In fact, an affidavit filed in Newfoundland revealed that Turner told Bagby's mother, Kathleen, that she was advised to leave the United States for Canada and had no intention of returning voluntarily.
Peck said he has 60 days to file "more supporting documentation" to persuade Canadian authorities to extradite Turner, who holds dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship. He said that a decision as to whether Turner should be extradited is still weeks or months away.
Documents filed in Newfoundland shed new light on the relationship between Turner and the 28-year-old Bagby, as well as a possible motive for the slaying.
According to an affidavit, Turner came to Latrobe to see Bagby a week before his death to inform him about a miscarriage she allegedly suffered.
State police said Turner became angry with Bagby after she learned he was dating another woman. Police believe she killed Bagby after he informed her that he was ending their relationship.
Police allege she returned to Iowa and then drove back to Latrobe where she confronted Bagby at Keystone State Park in Derry Township.
Police in Halifax, Nova Scotia, interviewed a friend of Turner's who said Turner telephoned him on Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. and said she was standing in the parking lot of Keystone State Park and had given her gun to Bagby.
Bagby's body was found early the next morning near his parked car. He was shot five times and suffered a blow to the back of the head. According to state police, Turner was the last person to see Bagby alive.
Other evidence linking Turner to Bagby's slaying also was revealed.
Troopers discovered an empty box of condoms in Turner's Iowa residence that matched the same brand and lot number of a sales receipt for condoms found in Bagby's wallet.
Police traced Turner's movements from Latrobe to Iowa and back to Latrobe using cellular telephone records that place Turner in Pennsylvania at the time of the slaying. Investigators also discovered that Turner had accessed her home e-mail account in Iowa from Bagby's computer in his Latrobe apartment on Nov. 5, according to the document.
They also cited her inconsistent statements about the whereabouts of the murder weapon that Turner purchased but has since disappeared.
In requesting the warrant, Peck also argued that Turner was a threat to herself and the community. In 1999, Turner took an overdose of medication, left a suicide note and required hospital treatment after another man had broken off a relationship with her, according to an affidavit.
Peck cited Turner's failed suicide attempt in West Chester, Pa., and said she may still be suicidal.
"Individuals who recently have had contact with Ms. Turner have indicated she is distraught over the circumstances of Andrew Bagby's death and her involvement in the criminal investigation," reads the affidavit.
Turner's next court appearance is Feb. 5, 2002.
By then, Peck must have submitted an affidavit explaining the facts of the case and a copy of Pennsylvania's homicide laws. He also must present Canadian officials with certified copies of the arrest warrant and witness statements, as well as any other documentary and physical evidence.
Later, Turner will face a preliminary hearing in Newfoundland where a judge will determine if enough evidence exists to return her to the United States.
State police in Greensburg issued an arrest warrant for Turner on Nov. 29 after she traveled to Newfoundland to visit her son, who had been injured in an auto accident.
Although Turner was born in Kansas, her mother is Canadian. In 1968, the family moved to Newfoundland, where Turner grew up in a remote area of Newfoundland's west coast.
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