Convicted molester's wife still missing

DUNKIRK, N.Y. (WIVB) - Police across the country have been searching for Paul Turley ever since he skipped out on his child molestation trial in Niagara County.

The 47-year-old convicted Monday of sexually abusing two children in the 1990s remains on the run. What's more, his wife, Diane Turley, also disappeared around the same time. Authorities are not saying whether they think the two of them are together.

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News 4 legal analyst Terry Connors said, "Anyone who's accompanying a fugitive will come under the scrutiny of the law enforcement."

Authorities have an arrest warrant for Paul Turley. He's on the radar of local police and federal marshals. At this point, his wife is not wanted for anything. It just happens that both Turleys have disappeared.

Connors says anyone helping Paul Turley evade the law could face serious legal consequences.

"And that could be as simple as driving in the car with him. Providing a car. Providing accompaniment. Providing shelter. Doing the kinds of things that allows someone to travel away from this area to escape the law," Connors.

Unless it can be shown that there's some coercion involved, essentially forcing someone to be there, Connors says a person could have exposure as an accessory.

Jim Stern owns the home in Dunkirk where the Turley's were living. He recently did a walk through with police to make sure the property is secure. He found no one living there - and the couple's dogs gone.

"Where we go from here I'm not quite sure," Stern said. "Everything seems to be in order. The furnace is on and there's no damage to anything."

Dunkirk Police continue to check the Lincoln Avenue residence on a day-to-day basis. But authorities have nothing new to report on the search for Paul Turley.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Paul Turley can contact authorities at 438-3344 or 438-3323.