“I still wanna just finish it” Indiana woman accused of poisonings faces life without parole
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A woman who was charged last year with several charges including the murder of her father-in-law was charged Friday with two counts of attempted murder and prosecutors requested a punishment of life imprisonment without parole.
Court documents outline multiple text messages between Jones and her mother Martha Allen, in which police say the two plotted to murder Martha’s husband Harold Allen. Police say Jones ordered poisonous seeds, plants and chemicals on the internet that were used in drinks and food.
Court documents also say Jones and her mother exchanged text messages where they discussed the purchase of poisonous pong pong seeds, hemlock plants and ethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical found in antifreeze.
Police say the two prepared brownies using the pong pong seeds, chili using the hemlock plant and used the ethylene glycol in a drink.
The pair were frustrated that the poisoning was not working, as seen in text messages in December 2022.
Texts from December 10, 2022
8:04 a.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Still going”
8:14 a.m. Ashley to Marsha–“I’m over this”
8:14 a.m. Ashley to Marsha–“he won’t move to let anything work”
8:14 a.m. Ashley to Marsha–“****ing idiot he lay still so nothing work”
8:14 a.m. Ashley to Marsha–“He takes it then does nothing”
According to police, Jones and her mother plotted by text message to use the ethylene glycol to poison Allen in a Sprite and a margarita.
Texts from December 10, 2022
6:08 p.m. Ashley to Marsha–“I still wanna just finish it a know lol”
6:09 p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Lol yest I know and so do I tbh”
6:57p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“He’s home”
7:04 p.m. Ashley to Marsha–“Ugh ok lol”
8:03 p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Its going to take him forever to drink that sprite. I will do it differently tomorrow”
Texts from December 12, 2022
7:49 pm. Ashley to Marsha–“Okie dokie how’s the margarita taste lol I cant’ drink anymore hurts me but it’s it good lol”
7:50 p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Its good. He loves it.”
8:49 p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Ok he said he feels dizzy”
8:49 p.m. Ashley to Marsha–“He drank that awful last lol”
8:49 p.m. Marsha to Ashley–“Not much of it yet”
8:50 p.m. Ashley to Marsha–“Well that’s alright a little will be enough”
Allen fell ill and sought medical treatment at the Schneck Medical Center Emergency Department three times in November and December 2022. Police say Allen was poisoned for the last time on December 19 2022 and he died the next day.
In October of 2023, Jones’ mother Marsha reported to officers that her home on North State Road 135 had been burglarized. Investigators determined two men, Steven White and Nathaniel Napier, were involved in the robbery with the help of Jones, a news release said.
Law enforcement officers searched Marsha’s cellphone and found the text messages between her and Jones that discussed murdering Marsha’s husband, Harold Allen, by poisoning in December 2022.
Marsha’s family contacted the police and said they could not contact Marsha. Officers went to Marsha’s home and located her body with no signs of violence, police say.
That following day, Jones confessed to ordering ethylene glycol off the internet, and Marsha placed the industrial compound in Harold’s drink. The news release was not clear on how Marsha died.
Ashley Jones was arrested on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and burglary on October 18, 2023.
Friday prosecutors amended those charges to include two counts of attempted murder. Jones now faces two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, consumer product tampering, and two counts of attempted murder.
Court documents do not appear to show if Jones has been charged with her mother’s murder.