Police say a teenager, aged 18, has been arrested for the murder of his mother. According to authorities, the teenager claimed that his mother had been kidnapped.
According to James Richey, the runner who discovered the remains, he immediately recognized it as a crime scene upon finding her body.
Minutes after he made the distressing call to the police, another 911 call was placed by Collier’s 18-year-old son, Alan Ashcroft. He reported his mother’s kidnapping, as per the local outlet AZFamily.
The 18-year-old was not publicly identified by the police in their press release. However, according to AZFamily, his name is Alan Ashcroft.
Ashcroft informed the dispatcher that “something really bad happened.” He mentioned that he was at home with his father and two brothers.
According to his brother, the 18-year-old and his mother went for a walk together, but only Ashcroft returned, as per the conversation with the dispatcher.
According to police, the teenager is believed to be the perpetrator of the crime. When authorities arrived at his residence on that day, Ashcroft attempted to flee.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office claims that Ashcroft was unable to escape capture and that authorities discovered him with self-inflicted injuries. The 18-year-old had allegedly requested deputies to shoot him in the head and admitted that he was not innocent, as stated in court documents cited by AZFamily.
Due to a wound on his neck, the police took Ashcroft to a hospital. On October 31, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office then processed him for booking into the Pinal County Jail. Currently, he is being held without bond and is facing a first-degree murder charge.
Richey expressed his disbelief and shock at the idea of someone being filled with so much rage and anger that their immediate response is to take another person’s life, especially their own mother’s.
Zel Harwell, Collier’s niece, has recently started a GoFundMe campaign following her tragic passing. As of November 4, the campaign has gathered over $12,000 in donations.