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Murder of Retired US Marine Collin Turner

On September 8th, 2021, US Navy Chief Petty Officer Bree Kuhn called the Santa Rosa Country Sheriff’s Office, saying that her husband, 33-year-old retired US Marine Collin Turner, pushed her down during an argument.

Deputies responded to their Gulf Breeze, Florida, home just before 1 pm but didn’t make any arrests.

Four hours later, Turner made a call to 911, saying his wife locked him out of their home.

Once again, deputies responded. Turner told them his wife was having mental health issues, and he wanted to go inside the home so he could gather the kids and some things and take the kids to Georgia.

Police told Kuhn she wasn’t allowed to keep him from entering the home, and they left again.

Turner called back at around 6:22 pm, telling the operator that Kuhn locked him in the garage and tried to break his arm when he attempted to reenter the home.

As he was on the phone with the dispatcher, Kuhn entered the garage and shot him.

He yelled, “She just shot me!”. She fired three more shots, killing him.

When police returned to the home, she immediately confessed to the murder and told authorities her husband was trying to take the kids. She also stated he kicked her foot, so she shot him in self-defense.

Her story quickly fell apart when an autopsy revealed Turner was shot in the four times as he back returned.

Legal Proceedings

She went to trial in September 2024, facing life in prison. She claimed he had been abusive toward her since he was discharged from the Marines due to a traumatic brain injury.

She claimed he subjected her to mental, physical, and emotional abuse and kept firearms around the home.

Her lawyer told the jury, “He had threatened to kill these kids before, and her as well,” he continued, “She was worried he was going to take the kids and kill them.”

Kuhn was expected to testify but decided against it at the last minute.

Prosecutors saw it as a case of cold-blooded murder and said that there was no documented abuse in the relationship.

The jury didn’t buy what Kuhn’s defense team was selling. They convicted her of premeditated first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life in prison on September 27th, 2024.

After the verdict, Turner’s mother spoke to the media, saying, “He loved his children, retiring from the Marines early so he wouldn’t miss any part of their young lives. And now he’s not there for them at all due to Bree’s actions.”

Kuhn was discharged from the Navy after the conviction.

The now 38-year-old is locked up at Lowell Correctional Institution Annex in Gainesville, Florida. She is appealing her conviction.