The convicted killer of Michelle Avan, the Merrill Lynch and Bank of America executive who died at her home in Los Angeles in August 2021, was sentenced earlier this month to life imprisonment, according to local news reports.
Anthony Dewayne Turner, 57, and also a former banking executive, was found guilty in August in Los Angeles County Court of first degree murder, burglary, and forcible rape stemming from the killing four years ago of Avan, a senior vice president for Bank of America, according to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News from October 10.
She had two children and one grandchild.
Avan’s daughter, Nyah, called her mother a woman of poise, wisdom and grace, according to the report, saying that she had been a mentor to many women and that “her spirit lives on through all of us.”
On August 3, 2021, Turner entered the 48-year-old victim’s home and killed her before leaving on Aug. 4, according the District Attorney's office at the time. The next day, Avan’s son discovered her body inside the house.
Turner pleaded not guilty at the time and was released on $2 million bail after his arrest.
According to his BrokerCheck profile, Turner was registered for only a few months with Merrill Lynch in 2005 and then again in 2016 before starting his employment at BofA Securities in 2019.
Starting at Merrill Lynch in 1998, Avan was a 23-year veteran and managing director with Merrill who moved over to Bank of America as a senior vice president just months before her death.
Her broader role was as the head of global women’s and under-represented talent strategy, global human resources for the bank, where she was responsible for its comprehensive strategy and efforts to attract, hire and retain diverse talent across the company.
She was a recipient of Bank of America’s Global Diversity & Inclusion award as well as a co-chair of the company’s Black Executive Leadership Council business initiative. She also won a 2021 InvestmentNews Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.
Jim Walesa worked in the securities industry for 39 years before leaving in 2021.
As the market turned from pricing in cuts to betting on hikes this year, the developing reality of a K-shaped economy has real implications for households and investors alike.
Also, SEI names LPL’s Kristie Edling-Day as CIO, TD Bank U.S. taps Hardeep Walia to lead wealth, and BMO adds an Illinois regional president
FINTRX data shows 342 company transactions in the quarter, with wealth management consolidation driving nearly one in seven deals.
State regulators secure $4.4 million from two broker-dealers over unreasonable charges on small-dollar retail equity trades.
Knighthead Life entered the market with a competitive MYGA. A strong launch earned advisor confidence and paved the way for FIAs.
As AI makes financial information more accessible than ever, Lana Hock explains why human judgment, trust, and empathy remain the qualities clients value most in a financial advisor
