A heartbreaking incident unfolded in San Tan Valley, Arizona, when an 18-year-old son allegedly murdered his mother during a walk intended to mend their differences.
Mary Collier, 38, was found lifeless in a field near her home on October 30, hours after her son, Alan Ashcroft, reported that she had been kidnapped.
The Discovery
Police were called to the scene after Ashcroft claimed his mother had been abducted.
Upon arrival, officers found Ashcroft covered in blood and attempting to flee.
When detained, he shockingly asked officers to “shoot him in the head.”
Later, Alan confessed to the brutal murder, which left family and friends mourning the loss of a beloved mother-of-four.
Tributes described Collier as a “wonderful mother” and one of the kindest people imaginable.
Disturbing Journals Reveal Forewarnings
A passerby initially mistook Collier’s body for Halloween decorations, given the timing of the discovery.
Authorities later confirmed it was her body, with a knife found nearby.
Alan had fled the scene before calling his siblings and telling them that their mother had been kidnapped.
Investigators uncovered disturbing journal entries in Alan’s room, revealing his dark thoughts and alarming intentions.
One journal entry from the day of the murder read, “My mother needs to be destroyed, for her own good,” and another urged, “If your eye offended you, cut it off!”
Tensions Leading to the Tragedy
Alan’s brothers told investigators that tensions between him and their mother had been escalating for days before the killing.
The two had gone on a walk that morning, hoping to resolve their issues.
However, it later emerged that Alan had already planned to kill his mother before they left the house.
Police found that Alan had packed a knife in a bag for the walk, and he later admitted that he saw an opportunity to act when they sat on hay bales during their discussion.
The Brutal Attack
Alan explained that when his mother saw the knife and attempted to take it from him, a struggle ensued.
He then headbutted her, pinned her down, and fatally stabbed her in the neck.
Afterward, he called the police, claiming that his mother had been abducted.
Upon returning home, family members questioned why Collier wasn’t with him, but Alan maintained his story about her kidnapping.
The Arrest
When officers arrived at the scene, they noted that Alan appeared shaken and had blood on him.
He admitted he wasn’t innocent during his arrest.
Investigators later confirmed that the footprints at the scene matched Alan’s.
He was hospitalized for a self-inflicted wound to his neck before being taken into custody the following day.
Alan now faces charges of first-degree murder, with bail set at $1 million.
A Family’s Loss
In a heartfelt GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses, Collier’s niece, Zel Harwell, described her aunt as “one of the most amazing people you could meet.”
She shared that Mary was more than just a relative; she was like a second mother to her.
“Mary loved her family more than anything else. She would give when she had nothing and always tried to uplift others with kindness and truth,” Harwell wrote.
This tragedy has left the community and family grappling with the unimaginable loss of a woman described as the heart of her family.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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