Shirley Turner - the woman facing extradition to the United States to stand trial for murder - and her 13-month-old son, Zachary, are dead.

The bodies of the mother and son, last seen late Sunday night, were found on Manuels beach, Conception Bay about 7 p.m. Monday.

Shirley and Zachary Turner

Turner, a medical doctor, was accused of killing her former lover in Pennsylvania two years ago.

From June 11, 2003: Minister approves doctor's extradition

At a hastily called news conference just before midnight, police called the deaths a tragic end to a missing persons' case.

They have not ruled out a murder/suicide.

Acting Supt. Sean Ryan talks to the media

Turner's lawyer, Randy Piercy, says his client never gave any indication she was contemplating suicide.

"Absolutely 100 per cent not," Piercy says.

"These were serious charges, particularly being in a foreign country would make it more of a worry and certainly she was worried, but I never ever for a moment imagined that this would happen."

Shocked by deaths

Piercy was called in by police last night to identify Turner's body and that of her son.

He says he's shocked by the deaths.

The lawyer for Bagby's parents - the grandparents of the dead boy - says the family is not commenting.

The details of their fight to gain custody of Zachary are under a publication ban.

Turner has three other children in their teens and early 20s.

Details of how Turner and her son died should be released this afternoon.

Vacationing couple discovered body

Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) Acting Supt. Sean Ryan says a vacationing Ontario couple walking their dog on the beach stumbled upon Turner's body.

Police and Coast Guard officials were called and a short time later, the body of Zachary was found on the beach just metres from his mother.

Ryan says the cause of death has yet to be determined. An autopsy report is expected sometime today.

Turner and her son were reported missing Monday. By mid-afternoon, the car she was driving was located on a dirt road that runs along the beach in Kelligrews.

The area is about a kilometre from where the bodies were discovered.

Ends legal battle over extradition

Turner's death marks the end of a lengthy legal battle over her extradition to stand trial for killing her former lover, Andrew Bagby.

Her extradition was approved by Ottawa in June, but her lawyer said at the time the decision was being appealed.

Bagby, also a medical doctor, was killed in Pennsylvania park November 2001. He had been shot five times in the heaad, chest and buttocks.

The two met while at medical school at Memorial University in St. John's.

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ruled last fall that Turner could be extradited to the U.S. to stand trial.