Left: Ashley Nicole Jones (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office); Right: Harold “Peanut” Allen (Obituary)
One family’s bodies have piled up in recent months – and now one woman remains at the center of an increasingly bizarre and complex murder-by-poison conspiracy, authorities in Indiana say.
Ashley Nicole Jones, 29, currently stands accused of one count each of murder, attempted murder, burglary, and conspiracy, according to Jackson County jail records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The case dates back to a man’s death late last year, which apparently did not arouse much suspicion until recently. Investigators started to suspect there was more than initially thought to the death during a burglary investigation that began in late September.
On Sept. 19, Marsha Allen reported a burglary at her home, according to a press release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators determined that two men were responsible for the burglary.
Those men were identified as Steven Andrew White, 29, and Nathaniel Kane Napier, 28, according to Sheriff Rick Meyer.
Each was charged with one count of burglary of a dwelling, conspiracy to commit burglary of a dwelling, and theft – when property stolen is a firearm.
But White and Napier allegedly did not act alone – or even plan the crime. Rather, the pair “committed the burglary at the direction of and with the assistance of Marsha’s daughter Ashley Jones,” Meyer said.
According to court documents obtained by Louisville, Kentucky-based Fox affiliate WDRB, Marsha Allen suspected her daughter from the start because the men allegedly had the combination to a gun safe. Jones was allegedly the only other person who knew that code.
During the investigation, law enforcement examined the homeowner’s cellphone and allegedly found tell-tale evidence of a different crime, according to the sheriff’s office.
“On the cell phone, officers found text messages between Marsha and Ashley in which they discussed murdering Marsha’s husband, Harold Allen, by poisoning Harold in December of 2022,” Meyer said.
Harold “Peanut” Allen’s obituary says he “passed away suddenly” at 52 on Dec. 20, 2022, in Freetown, Indiana.
Jones is responsible for that sudden death, the sheriff’s office alleges.
On Tuesday, Jones allegedly confessed “to ordering ethylene glycol off the Internet,” according to the sheriff’s office. But, the defendant insisted, it was her mother “who had placed the ethylene glycol in Harold’s drink.”
Ethylene glycol is an unscented and clear liquid. It is often found in antifreeze and can be fatal if ingested in large quantities.
During the initial burglary investigation, Marsha Allen was questioned and allowed to leave. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at her home and seized several electronic devices, the sheriff’s office says.
Jackson County Jail records show that her daughter was booked on Tuesday. She is being detained without bond.
The same day, relatives called law enforcement to request a welfare check on Marsha Allen, reporting they had tried and failed to contact her. Deputies again made the trip to the house off North State Road 135.
This time, “officers found Marsha deceased with no signs of violence,” Meyer said in the press release.
The mother’s cause of death has not been released, and the investigation is ongoing.
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