Next Hearing Set for Ex-Broker Charged With Murder of BofA-Merrill Exec

Another hearing has been set for ex-broker Anthony Duwayne Turner, charged with the murder in 2021 of his former colleague and ex-girlfriend, Bank of America-Merrill executive Michelle Avan.

The next setting date for a preliminary hearing is April 3 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 107 of the Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys, California, according to the Los Angeles Superior Court website.

The latest date was scheduled on Monday as another hearing was held at the same courtroom for Turner.

A so-called Pitchess motion was granted to Turner last year so that he and his attorney could inspect a police officer’s personnel file for any evidence of misconduct.

Defense attorneys often make a Pitchess motion during the pretrial process, when they suspect that police may have acted improperly by, for example. filing an inaccurate police report. When granted, a judge typically releases any information they believe is relevant about the police officer in question to the defendant.

Avan’s Death

Avan was a managing director at Merrill Lynch for 22 years before being promoted in June 2021 to head of BofA’s global women’s and underrepresented talent strategy, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Turner, of Westchester, California, was arrested Aug. 5, 2021, and released a few days later, after posting $2 million bail, the Los Angeles Police Department and a spokesman for Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón told ThinkAdvisor at the time.

Turner was charged with felony murder and first-degree residential burglary in his former girlfriend’s death, according to a spokesman for Gascón.

The cause of Avan’s death was initially unknown, but she “appeared to have suffered trauma to her face,” police said at the time.

“Family members became concerned when they could not contact Avan,” police said. Avan’s son discovered her body, and a member of her family contacted police and Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

West Valley patrol officers arrived at Avan’s home and found her unresponsive, police said, and paramedics pronounced her dead.

Turner allegedly entered Avan’s home on Aug. 3, 2021, killed her and left the next day, the district attorney said.

Turner had been a registered broker with Merrill since 2004, and his registration with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority shifted in 2019 to BofA Securities, where he was still working as a broker when he was arrested, according to his report on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. He is no longer registered as a broker, according to BrokerCheck.

Avan had considered seeking a restraining order against Turner, with whom she had been in a romantic relationship, NBC4′s I-Team reported, citing law enforcement sources.

Avan’s family requested that Gascón file a special circumstances murder charge against Turner in addition to the charges filed by the district attorney.

(Pictured: Anthony Duwayne Turner; Image: Los Angeles Sentinel/File Photo)