An Arizona mother, Mary Collier, 38, went on a walk with her son, Alan Ashcroft. On October 30, she was found dead in a field in San Tan Valley by a walker after his son reported her kidnapping. However, when police arrived at their home, they found Ashcroft covered in blood and, after attempting to flee, confessed to brutally killing her mother.
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Days before the alleged murder, Ashcroft and Collier had been fighting. However, they decided to put the argument behind them by going on a walk. That is where Ashcroft used a knife to carve the life out of her mother, according to court documents. Those same documents, according to the Daily Mail, read that Ashcroft took her mother's life on some hay bales. After brutally killing her mother, he called the police and told his family that Collier had been kidnapped.
When police arrived, they found Ashcroft covered in blood. He attempted to flee and even told police to "shoot him in the head," but the officers were able to put him under arrest. They later matched his footprints with the ones at the scene and found disturbing writings in his diary. "My mother needs to be destroyed, for her own good," reads his diary. "Do it if you want to save her soul. Someone wants to take your place, fight! The time is now!"
A Wonderful Mother
The family is now shocked and heartbroken after knowing the details surrounding Mary Collier's death and alleged murder. "(She) had a heart made of love and hymns," said Zel Harweel, Collier's niece, according to AZ Central. "She always cared for me, and we would laugh because I know her heart was big enough to make space for all of her family members."
"Our family is hurting, and grieving her loss, but, we also know Mary was a wonderful woman, and heaven is the only place she could be."
Zel Harwell also set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover Mary's funeral and family expenses. They have raised over $15,000 with 86 donations as of November 13. "I can't put into words how much we appreciate this and the blessings it's brought, knowing my mom will get what she wanted... thank you all," reads Ammon Ashcroft, Mary's son.
The police are holding Alan Ashcroft on a $1 million bond and charged him with first-degree murder.
