‘They tried and tried for their son’: Peoria couple allegedly slain by son filed several mental health petitions on him

PEORIA, Ariz. — Authorities are revealing new details in a shocking double homicide that left a longtime Peoria couple dead inside their home, allegedly at the hands of their own son.

According to court records, 29-year-old Jonathan Turk admitted to killing his parents, Scott and Tina Turk, during a 911 call Tuesday evening. Police say the attack happened around 6:30 p.m. at the family’s home in north Peoria near 83rd Avenue and Jomax Road. 

Jonathan Turk made his initial court appearance on Wednesday, where he faces multiple counts of first-and second-degree murder.

Investigators say Jonathan Turk told officers he stabbed his father with a knife before going into another room and beating his mother with a hammer. During the investigation, Jonathan Turk allegedly told police he carried out the killings because his parents were trying to force him to take medication.

Neighbors described Scott and Tina Turk as a devoted couple who had been married for more than 30 years. Those who knew them said they were kind, welcoming, and well-known in the neighborhood for hosting annual Halloween celebrations outside their home.

Several neighbors, who declined to speak on camera, also said the couple had long struggled to help their son with mental health issues. One neighbor said, “They tried and tried for their son.”

Court documents show Scott and Tina Turk had filed multiple mental health petitions involving their son over the years — including three petitions in 2026 alone. The outcome of those petitions is unclear, as medical records are confidential.

Valley defense attorney Josh Kolsrud, who is not connected to the case, said the filings suggest they knew he needed serious help.

“He’s an adult and his parents are filing medical petitions against him,” Kolsrud said. “That tells me they felt like there was some type of danger, either to themselves or maybe to him.”

Kolsrud added that Jonathan Turk’s mental health history will likely play a central role as the case moves forward.

“This case is not a matter of who did it,” he said. “It’s really a question of why this person did this.”

Records also show that in May 2023, Peoria police issued a missing persons alert for Jonathan Turk, noting he was on several medications for unspecified medical conditions. He was later found unharmed.

Kolsrud said the case bears similarities to other high-profile incidents involving alleged violence within families, like the case involving former actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle, allegedly killed at the hands of their son, Nick, in California late last year.

Jonathan Turk is currently being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Neighbors also said the couple has a college-aged daughter who was not home at the time of the killings. Those in the community expressed deep sorrow for her, as she now faces the loss of both parents and her brother’s arrest in the same tragedy.

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