LAS VEGAS (Court TV) — The boyfriend of a former Playboy model who recently changed his plea to guilty in the murder of a California child psychiatrist will serve at last 18 years in prison. Today, a judge handed Jon Logan Kennison an 18 to 45 year sentence.
Kelsey Turner, a former Maxim and Playboy Italia model, made national headlines when she was arrested in 2019. Initially, Turner and Kennison pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Last month, Kennison changed his plea to guilty in the killing of 71-year-old Dr. Thomas Burchard of Salinas, California.
Dr. Thomas Burchard (Left) Kelsey Turner (Right)
Police reports show the former Playmate and Burchard knew each other for about two years, and he had been helping pay her bills for much of that time.
Their relationship took a turn when police say Burchard traveled here to Las Vegas in March 2019 to tell Turner he would no longer pay for her lifestyle. Investigators alleged Burchard and Turner got into an argument that escalated to murder.
Turner and her boyfriend are accused of beating the psychiatrist to death with a baseball bat, then stuffing his body in the trunk of Turner’s Mercedes. Her car was found a few days later on a desert road outside of Las Vegas.
Prosecutors previously decided they would not seek the death penalty for Turner, who will stand trial this coming November.
KTNV Staff in Las Vegas contributed to this story. KTNV is an E.W. Scripps Company.
