Indianapolis man sentenced to life in prison for murder of girlfriend
COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) — An Indianapolis man on Wednesday was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, who was found shot dead in her home with a plastic bag around her head in 2023.
Judge Jim Worton sentenced Anthony Wayne Carter, 51, to life in prison without a chance of parole during a hearing in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.
Authorities did a welfare check at the home of Carter’s girlfriend, Ashley Neville, about 5:30 a.m. April 16, 2023, along County Road 650 South near the community of Waynesville. Carter had admitted he killed his girlfriend to a relative who later called 911, leading to the welfare check.
Police arrived at Neville’s home to find most of the windows were covered, and a padlock was on the outside of the door. The back door of the home had a brown bookcase blocking anyone from entering. Officers did not make contact with Neville, and no vehicles were found at the scene, court document say.
Detective Kevin Abner with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, while continuing to try to locate Neville, learned that she drove a red 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. The car was found abandoned in a field off the 2200 block of East County Road 800 South. That’s about 15 minutes south of downtown Columbus.
About 1 p.m. April 16, 2023, neighbors in the area reported a suspicious man in the woods near Neville’s home. Deputies and a police dog later found Carter hiding in the wooded area and arrested him.
A search warrant was executed for Neville’s home, and her body was found on the bed in a room covered with a large pile of clothing and other items. Her head was covered with a white plastic bag secured with grey duct tape.
Carter later told authorities he put a plastic bag around Neville’s head after she’d been shot, using duct tape to secure it, and then placed his hand over her mouth to smother her, court documents say.
Carter also admitted that he’d abandoned Neville’s car in the field.
An autopsy conducted April 17, 2023, in Hamilton County revealed that Neville had suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of her head. Later that same day, Carter confessed that he had discarded the small pistol used in the shooting in the woods where he was hiding. Deputies later found the weapon.
Authorities noted Neville had a “no contact” order in place against Carter. The order was issued Feb. 22, 2022, in Jennings County.
A jury on Oct. 28 found Carter guilty of murder after a six-day trial. After he’d been found guilty, the jury deliberated another 45 minutes and recommended a sentence of life in prison without a chance of parole.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay said in a statement, ““This case is a gruesome reminder of the evil that some people are capable of. I would like to express my condolences to Ashley’s family. I hope that this verdict brings them some small amount of closure and that it allows them to begin the process of healing.”
