LEXINGTON, KY – The town of Lexington was shocked by the murder-for-hire plot that led to the death of Michael Turpin in 1986. His body was found in a lake at Lexington’s Lakeside Golf Course, and the motive behind the murder was a $60,000 insurance payout.
The episode “Three-Ring Murder” from “Seduced to Slay” will air on Investigation Discovery on January 15, 2024. It showcases the details of the 1986 murder, delving into the dark truth behind the killing.
Michael Turpin’s autopsy revealed that he was stabbed at least 19 times in the face and chest. His body was wrapped in a green bathrobe and covered in additional blankets before being dumped in the lake at Lexington’s Lakeside Golf Course. Rigor mortis and liver mortis had set in when the body was discovered.
During the investigation into Michael Turpin’s murder, revelations emerged about the romantic involvement of his wife Elizabeth Turpin and her co-worker, Karen Brown. Karen, a local drug dealer, was found to have been in a relationship with Elizabeth, who abused cocaine.
Elizabeth and Karen paid their co-worker, Keith Ronald Bouchard, to kill Michael Turpin for his insurance money. They decided on paring knives as the choice of weapon for the murder, after failing to procure a gun.
Following their conviction on charges of first-degree murder, Elizabeth Turpin, Karen Brown, and Keith Bouchard were sentenced to life in prison. Keith pleaded guilty in exchange for life in prison with no parole and testified against Karen and Elizabeth. Despite initially being eligible for parole after 25 years, the Kentucky Parole Board denied them parole and ordered them to serve life in prison due to the seriousness of the crime.