Susan turner suffered unimaginable torture before being murdered—her killers now face life in prison

A brutal and harrowing murder has shocked Scotland, as two killers have been jailed for life after subjecting a defenceless mother to a prolonged and sadistic attack.

Susan Turner, 41, was beaten, stabbed, and choked in an Ayr flat in March 2023, enduring what the judge described as “torture” before her killers finally took her life. Her attackers, Michelle Ramage, 43, and Ryan Hill, 27, have now been sentenced to decades behind bars.

During the horrific assault, Turner was struck with a golf club, slashed with scissors, battered with mugs and a baseball bat, and even attacked with a machete. A dog chain, a radio, and a dressing gown cord were also used to inflict unspeakable suffering.

Despite her desperate pleas to be freed, Ramage and Hill continued their merciless attack, ignoring her cries for help. Judge Lord Mulholland, sentencing the pair at the High Court in Glasgow, condemned their sheer brutality.

“You have both been convicted of the brutal murder of a defenceless woman, Susan Turner, who posed no threat to either of you,” he told them. “As she was being subjected to the homicidal assault, she begged you to let her go. You ignored her pleas and subjected her to a brutal and cowardly assault.”

Tortured and Humiliated

In court, shocking details of Turner’s final moments emerged. Her injuries were described as “catastrophic,” with Lord Mulholland revealing she had clumps of hair ripped from her scalp and was left “scored over and over” on the front of her body.

“She was stripped and rendered almost naked,” he added. “It was akin to torture and was clearly designed to demean and disfigure her as a woman.”

She was repeatedly stabbed with scissors, battered with a golf club, and strangled with a dressing gown cord before being dragged across the floor. The relentless violence ended only when she finally succumbed to her injuries.

Sentencing: No Guarantee of Freedom

Ramage, who admitted her role in the killing in January, was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison. Hill, convicted after a trial in February, received a minimum of 20 years.

Lord Mulholland made it clear that their life sentences did not guarantee eventual release. “There is no guarantee you will ever be freed,” he told them, stressing the horror of their crimes.

Hill’s sentence was slightly reduced due to the jury removing certain elements of his charge, including the machete attack and strangulation. Ramage, who pleaded guilty, avoided a longer term of 24 years.

A Complex Investigation

Detective Inspector Keith Runcie, who led the case, acknowledged the “complex inquiry” that had finally brought justice for Turner. He expressed gratitude to the local community for their patience and support throughout the investigation.

“Our thoughts remain with Susan’s family and friends, and I hope these convictions offer them some solace at what is a very difficult and sad time,” he said.

Turner’s death has left a lasting scar on those who knew her. The court heard that she was small in stature, weighing just seven and a half stone—no match for the two individuals who inflicted such horrific violence upon her.

For now, her family and friends must live with the horror of how she was taken from them, while her killers face the consequences of their monstrous crime behind bars.