Murdered Monterey doctor’s girlfriend describes prior threats from woman arrested

It’s been two weeks since Monterey doctor, Thomas Burchard, was found brutally murdered near Las Vegas.

Thursday, 25-year-old Kelsey Turner was arrested and charged with open murder. Burchard’s longtime girlfriend, Judy Earp, describes a shocking relationship. “She (Turner) made lots of threats then against me, against him. Lots of threats. Very serious. Now, I see that obviously they came through,” said Earp.

Earp has not met Turner and tells KION this information was given to her through Burchard. She said the threats came after Burchard stopped making rent payments on a Salinas home Turner was living in with her mother and two kids.

According to Earp, Burchard signed the lease and was forced to pay the bills because Turner wasn’t doing so. When he didn’t re-sign the lease, Earp said Turner was evicted and moved to Las Vegas. Burchard visited Turner during a trip he was making to Las Vegas for what Earp describes as another reason, however she knew that seeing Turner was part of the plan. “I had warned him lots of times. These aren’t good people. There aren’t going be a good outcome. Of course, who expects this,” said Burchard.

Burchard shot down rumors that his relationship with Turner, a model who once appeared in Playboy, was sexual. “Kelsey Turner, you know, he helped a lot of people that were down on their luck. She had this sad story. She said, ‘My children and I are going to be homeless and thrown out on the street,” said Turner.

According to Earp, Burchard was taking care of Turner and her mother financially, and gave them roughly $300,000 over just a two-year period.

Earp believes Burchard was helping multiple other women during their 17-year relationship, but his murder was unthinkable. “This was an absolute disaster. Horrible. The worst possible outcome,” said Earp.

Earp said she knows the person that helped Turner with her alleged crime is still out there. “I’m certain she had help. I’m concerned until they’re all arrested,” said Earp. She plans to be there for Turner’s future court appearances and will testify if asked.

While GoFundMe took down a campaign page put up to help with Turner’s legal fees, a new page has been posted on fundedjustice.com titled “Kelsey Turner Defense Fund.”

The page’s creator, Chris Ingram, writes “Those of you that know Kelsey Turner know her as a loving mom, trusted friend and hard working young model. Now she needs our help.” It adds, “for obvious reasons we cannot comment on the investigation, only to say that Kelsey has professed her innocence since day 1, and desperately needs assistance to help bring that innocence to light.”

KION has reached out to Ingram for comment.

KION also reached out multiple times to the number listed for the business of Turner’s mother, Samantha Vaughn. Both times, an unidentified woman answered saying they have “no comment.”

Turner was arrested on March 21st in Stockton by the FBI Stockton Safe Street Task Force. She is currently awaiting extradition to Clark County. Her transportation hearing is scheduled for April 8th, in San Joaquin County.