The Root Beer Float Murder | Full Episode
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Harold Allen's death was initially attributed to heart problems in December 2022.
- ❖Nine months later, a burglary at Marsha Allen's home by Steven White led to his confession and an accusation that Marsha poisoned Harold.
- ❖White claimed Ashley Jones, Marsha's daughter, told him Marsha poisoned Harold with a root beer float.
- ❖Toxicology confirmed ethylene glycol (antifreeze) in Harold's system.
- ❖Marsha deleted incriminating text messages during a police interview, but they were recovered.
- ❖Thousands of texts between Marsha and Ashley revealed a detailed plot to poison Harold using pong pong seeds, water hemlock, and ethylene glycol for his $120,000 life insurance.
- ❖Marsha committed suicide after being confronted with the evidence.
- ❖Ashley Jones pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving a 50-year sentence.
- ❖Ashley's first husband, Ty Jones, also died suddenly from heart issues, prompting a new investigation into his death due to suspicious circumstances and a text message reference.
Insights
1Unmasking a Covert Murder through a Burglary
Harold Allen's death was initially ruled natural due to cardiac issues. The murder only came to light nine months later when a burglary occurred at his widow Marsha Allen's home. The burglar, Steven White (a friend of Marsha's daughter Ashley), confessed to the break-in and then shockingly revealed that Ashley had told him Marsha poisoned Harold with a root beer float. This unexpected criminal act provided the crucial tip that initiated the murder investigation.
Harold Allen's death was initially attributed to heart problems (, ). A burglary at Marsha Allen's home by Steven White led to his confession and accusation that Marsha poisoned Harold (, , ).
2Digital Forensics Exposing a Premeditated Plot
During questioning, Marsha Allen deleted text messages from her phone, unaware they could be recovered. Digital forensics retrieved nearly 7,000 texts exchanged between Marsha and her daughter Ashley over three months before Harold's death. These messages meticulously detailed their attempts to poison Harold with various substances, including pong pong seeds (the 'suicide tree'), water hemlock, and ultimately ethylene glycol (antifreeze), all motivated by Harold's $120,000 life insurance policy. The texts revealed a depraved glee and frustration over Harold's slow demise.
Marsha deleted items from her phone during an interview (). Recovered texts showed a plot to poison Harold (, ). Harold had a $120,000 life insurance policy (). Texts discussed pong pong seeds (), water hemlock (), and ethylene glycol ().
3Serial Poisoning and Familial Collusion
The investigation uncovered a pattern of multiple poisoning attempts by Marsha and Ashley. They tried different toxins, disguised in foods like brownies with walnuts, chili, Sprite, margaritas, and finally, a root beer float, chosen for its ability to mask the taste of ethylene glycol. This demonstrated a sustained, calculated effort to murder Harold, highlighting a rare case of mother-daughter collaboration in a heinous crime.
Texts detailed grinding pong pong seeds for brownies (). They served him tainted chili, Sprite, and a margarita (). The plan for a poisoned root beer float used ethylene glycol ().
4Uncovering a Potential Second Victim
The investigation into Harold's death led to suspicions surrounding the earlier death of Ashley Jones's first husband, Ty Jones, who died suddenly at 33 from 'heart complications' in 2019. Ty's body was cremated at Ashley's request and not tested for poison. A recovered text from Ashley referencing Ty's weight in the context of poison dosage, combined with his family's suspicions about Ashley's behavior and Ty's recent inheritance, prompted a new investigation into his death, suggesting a possible pattern of murder for financial gain.
Ty Jones died of heart complications at 33 (). His body was not tested for poison and was cremated at Ashley's request (, ). Ashley inquired about Ty's insurance policy the day after his funeral (). Ashley texted, 'Ty was only 120, lol' in reference to poison dosage ().
Bottom Line
The case suggests a potential pattern of serial poisoning for financial gain, with Ashley Jones possibly involved in the death of her first husband, Ty Jones, under similar circumstances.
This raises the possibility of Ashley being a serial killer, extending beyond the confirmed plot against Harold Allen. The lack of toxicology in Ty's initial autopsy and his cremation complicate further investigation.
Law enforcement agencies could review other sudden, unexplained deaths involving individuals connected to Ashley Jones, particularly those initially attributed to natural causes without comprehensive toxicology screens, to identify potential overlooked patterns.
Lessons
- Always conduct thorough toxicology screenings in sudden, unexplained deaths, even if initial indicators suggest natural causes, especially when financial motives or suspicious behaviors are present.
- Implement robust digital forensics protocols to recover deleted data from electronic devices during criminal investigations, as this can provide critical evidence for complex cases.
- Educate the public on the various forms of poison and their subtle effects, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious health declines or behaviors in vulnerable individuals.
Quotes
"Poison is unique. I think you see it in movies because it makes a good show, but it's not normally how homicide or death is carried out."
"If you're consuming ethylene glycol, you're not going to know. You're not going to smell it. You're not going to taste it. If you put it in a root beer float with ice cream and root beer, you're not going to know until it's too late."
"Everything that Stevens told us up to this point has been true. I said, 'I feel like we at least have to ask her about Harold and Harold's death.'"
"There are numerous text messages between her and Ashley, and it starts to become evident that there's something going on that they were indeed trying to poison Harold Allen."
"I think she didn't want to stick around and wait and find out what those results were."
"I do believe that there was a large enough sum of money and a property that Ashley likely thought she would inherit, and that that could have been a motivator for her."
"Personally, I think that she probably killed him, but that's my opinion. There's very few, probably as evil as Marsha Allen and Ashley Jones."
Q&A
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