I think Woodard's death was planned for awhile. The story was building to it and Turgeon was only in it for a very brief span of time. The change in casting robs the character's death scene of a great deal of emotion. Gerringer was a warm, likable actor, and his interplay with Grayson Hall, believable. His death at Julia's hands would have been powerful, haunting and devastating.
Turgeon is a cold, wooden actor, seemingly much older than Gerringer and it robs Woodard's death of its intended power. it's still strong stuff, but about 15% of what it could have been.