Love triangle murder case ends in mistrial

SUE DOYLE

COSTA MESA -- She is accused of shooting a Costa Mesa woman to death

in a jealous rage over a man, but a jury was unable to decide Thursday

whether May Kwan Turek should be convicted of murder.

After seven weeks of testimony and six days of deliberation, a hung

jury returned to the courtroom at a standstill with a 9-3 decision.

Superior Court Judge Frank F. Fasel declared a mistrial.

In the event of a hung jury, prosecutors have the option of retrying

the defendant. Prosecutors will announce their decision in court Aug. 18.

Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Debbie Lloyd could not be reached for

comment.

Meanwhile, Turek returned to jail. Her attorney, Jennifer Keller, will

ask the judge to dismiss the case or set bail, so Turek can be released.

“I am disappointed,” Keller said. “I was hoping to walk out of court

today next to my client. I wanted to see her reunited with her

12-year-old daughter later on tonight.”

Turek stands accused for the Aug. 21, 1994, death of Roxanne Martin,

30. Prosecutors believe Turek considered the victim a rival for the

affection of her then-lover, Anthony Kubis Jr.

Martin was shot once in the back of the head and four times in the

chest before she bled to death at Kubis’ Costa Mesa home on Victoria

Street.

Kubis was out of town at the time of the shooting, according to police

reports.

Authorities arrested Turek four years after Martin’s death. Until

then, the murder remained unsolved. But in 1998, DNA technology helped

police link Turek to the murder, determining that two blood smears found

in the defendant’s car belonged to Martin.

During testimony, Keller pointed a finger at the defendant’s

ex-husband and raised a question of doubt that he, too, had a motive in

the slaying.

Timothy Turek could have shot Martin in a botched attempt to kill his

ex-wife’s lover, Keller said. She also argued that her client had no

knowledge of firearms, but that her ex-husband, a Hermosa Beach Police

detective, had expertise and access to guns.

“It bothers me that the actual killer is out there right now, driving

around and going to work,” Keller said. “And [May Turek] is sitting in

jail for something she didn’t do.”