Coroner: Mel Turpin dead at 49 Mel Turpin, former NBA player and All-American Kentucky center, committed suicide Thursday, authorities said. Police and the coroner were called to his North Lexington house Thursday afternoon on a personal injury call. They found Turpin dead. Coroner Gary Ginn says that Turpin had committed suicide, but would not say how. Turpin was the sixth player selected in the 1984 NBA draft that included Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, but never had the NBA success of those future stars. RIP...
