An Elvis Presley impersonator who officiated three weddings for Louise and David Turpin in Las Vegas was “shocked” by the allegations that they shackled their 13 children to furniture, according to a Tuesday report.
Kent Ripley, an Elvis impersonator who conducted three vow renewal ceremonies for the Turpins, said he was “sick to his stomach” upon hearing allegations that the couple enslaved their children, according to the New York Daily News. The Turpins went to Las Vegas in 2013, 2015 and 2016, and Ripley conducted each of their ceremonies. The children wore the same outfits every time, according to NBC4.
“The children were very soft-spoken and well-mannered,” Ripley said. “They seemed to be very close as siblings. The boys hung together on one side, and the girls hung together on the other. They liked each other. I don’t remember them slapping each other or fighting. They were enjoying their time together.”
Ripley said that the oldest daughter appeared to be 20 in 2016; however, authorities stated that the children’s ages range from 2 to 29. Most of the children allegedly appear younger, due to malnourishment.
David and Louise Turpin, the Perris, California, parents accused of keeping their 13 children shackled in their home, filed for bankruptcy in 2011. David Turpin was earning $140,000 a year as an engineer at Northrop Grumann. Here’s what else we’ve learned: https://t.co/eJDJgQZ6JK pic.twitter.com/0b6vyKMKy0
— Tom Cleary (@tomwcleary) January 16, 2018
K I just noticed something really bizarre about that Turpin family (from the parents’ shared facebook page). They recreated the exact same renewal of vows with the same Elvis impersonator, same outfits, the same venue THREE TIMES. (check the length of mom’s hair) wtff pic.twitter.com/xwFwPbHK9A
— sneaky dogfriend (@GrrlGhost) January 16, 2018
Authorities arrested the Turpin parents Sunday on nine counts of torture and 10 counts of child endangerment. Their 17-year-old daughter escaped through a window and used a deactivated cellphone to call 911. The children are currently hospitalized, and the parents are due in court Thursday. (RELATED: Neighbor Describes The Turpin Family’s Cult Rituals).
Send tips to gabrielle@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
The Daily Caller News Foundation is working hard to balance out the biased American media. For as little as $3, you can help us. Make a one-time donation to support the quality, independent journalism of TheDCNF. We’re not dependent on commercial or political support and we do not accept any government funding.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.