On a chilling Halloween night in 1973, the small town of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was forever changed by a horrifying tragedy. Nine-year-old Lisa French, who set out for a night of trick-or-treating, vanished without a trace, plunging the community into a nightmare that would alter Halloween traditions forever.
Dressed as a hobo, Lisa had just finished dinner when she stepped out into the darkening streets. With her brown paper sack in hand, she planned to visit neighbors, unaware that her third stop would seal her fate. That door belonged to Gerald Turner, a familiar face in the neighborhood, a man she trusted.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lisa’s mother grew anxious when her daughter didn’t return by the 7:00 p.m. curfew. Neighbors joined the frantic search, combing the streets with flashlights, calling out her name. What began as a typical Halloween quickly morphed into a desperate hunt for a missing child.
Three days later, the search ended in horror. A farmer discovered two garbage bags in a field, revealing Lisa’s costume and, tragically, her lifeless body. The community, once a bastion of safety, was shattered. Lisa had been sexually assaulted and murdered, her innocence stolen in the most brutal way.
The investigation turned toward Turner, a seemingly ordinary man who lived just a few doors away. Known for his friendly demeanor and family life, he had no criminal record, making it hard for anyone to suspect him. But lurking beneath that façade was a dark past—previously unreported offenses against a babysitter.
As fear gripped Fond du Lac, police found themselves at a standstill. With no arrests and the case going cold, the community’s unease grew. Then, forensic evidence linked Turner to the crime, igniting a new wave of investigation. Fibers found on Lisa’s body matched his bedspread, raising alarms about the man they thought they knew.
In August of 1974, under mounting pressure, Turner confessed to the crime. The revelation sent shockwaves through the town, as the friendly neighbor turned out to be a predator. His trial in early 1975 brought the community’s grief and anger to a boiling point.
Despite his confession, Turner attempted to recant, claiming police coercion. However, the jury saw through his lies, convicting him on multiple counts, including second-degree murder. He received a sentence of 38 years and 6 months, a punishment that many felt was far too lenient for the horror he inflicted.
Turner’s early release in 1992 sparked outrage. The community’s trust was shattered, and parents now kept their children close, forever changed by the loss of Lisa. In response to public outcry, Wisconsin enacted “Turner’s Law,” allowing dangerous offenders to remain incarcerated beyond their sentences if deemed a threat.
Today, Turner remains in a mental health facility, still fighting for freedom, while Fond du Lac grapples with the haunting memories of that fateful Halloween. Trick-or-treating has transformed into a tightly controlled event, with children venturing out only during daylight hours, a stark reminder that real monsters can hide in plain sight.
The legacy of Lisa French endures, a painful chapter in a town that once believed in safety, now forever vigilant against the darkness that lurks just beyond their doorsteps.
