SEYMOUR — The Missouri woman charged in the poisoning death of a Freetown man in late 2022 will be facing additional charges and potentially life imprisonment without parole.
Ashley Nicole Jones, 29, of Bellflower confessed to ordering ethylene glycol, an odorless and colorless liquid, off the internet during an interview Oct. 17 with investigators from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, police report.
Jones was arrested Oct. 18, 2023 in connection with the death of 52-year-old Harold L. “Peanut” Allen at the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, where she was being held on a related burglary charge. Allen, who was Jones stepfather, died on Dec. 19, 2022.
Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Chalfant recently amended the information filed in case. The information amends the following: count three, conspiracy to commit murder, a Level 1 felony to reflect the accurate date range in conspiring to commit murder with her mother, Marsha Allen; and added counts five and six of attempted murder and a request for life imprisonment without parole.
Allen died Oct. 13, 2023, after being interviewed by a police about a robbery at the home she shared with her husband. At the time of her death, police said the expected cause of her death was suicide and there was no evidence of violence.
Two men, Steven A. White of Scottsburg and Nathaniel Kane Napier of Otisco, were later arrested for that burglary, an act police said they had committed at the direction and with the assistance of Jones.
White pleaded guilty to two Level 4 felony counts of a burglary and one count of theft of a firearm. He received a 2,190-day prison term with 730 days suspended and 92 days credit.
Kane later pleaded guilty to A Level 4 felony charge of burglary and was sentenced to 1,095 days in jail with 1,008 days suspended. He also received 65 days for credit for time served.
Additional evidence was found in a supplemental probable cause affidavit reported by Lt. Adam Nicholson with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department to support the additional charges.
A warrant was issued to Apple Inc. on July 16, 2024, for the contents associated with an email address used to order the ethylene glycol. It was later determined that email address was issued to a separate email address associated with Jones using the “Hide My Email” feature offered by Apple Inc.
The poison was ordered through a unique random email address so Jones’ personal email would stay private, according to the court records.
On Sept. 14, 2022, Jones received a confirmation order from Ebay for the purchase of Pong Pong seeds to be delivered between Oct. 6 and Oct. 25.
According to the National Institute of Health’s website, the Pong Pong tree is a native plant of India, Southeast Asia and East Africa. The tree produces brown oval seeds that yield a toxic bioactive cardiac glycoside called Cerberin.
Cerberin causes disruption of cardiac electrical activity and those who ingest the seed will suffer from a variety of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, followed by heart-related symptoms including heart blocking which could result in death. The Pong Pong seed has been reported to be used in cases of suicide and homicide in their countries of origin.
The National Institute of Health reported that until recently, the plant was hardly known or easily available for sale online by multiple tropical plant retailers. They also reported most cases are suicidal, but there are concerns about its potential use as a homicidal agent as the bitter taste of seeds can be masked with spices and may be added to food. The oil of the seeds also produce a pleasant nut-like odor.
Between Nov. 12 and Nov. 19, Jones and Allen continue to discuss plans to murder Harold. During this time time Ashley texted Allen saying, “That’s always gonna be there ya know people always want it this is time sensitive the big plan.” Ashley texted again saying, “One shot.”
On Nov. 15, Jones and Marsha discuss making brownies and on the Nov. 26 Allen sent a photo to Jones of Harold with a half-eaten brownie. According to the probable cause, Harold became sick after eating the brownie and visited Schneck Medical Center’s emergency room the next day.
After the failed poison attempt, Jones places an order for water hemlock on Dec. 1. According to sources such as the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health and the Center for Disease Control the detective division found Water Hemlock is the common name for Cicuta Maculata.
Water hemlock is the most violently toxic plant that grows in North America and only a small amount of the toxic substances in the plant is needed to produce poisoning in livestock or humans.
The toxic substance in water hemlock is called cicutoxin, which is a highly poisonous unsaturated alcohol that is found principally in the tubers of the plant making the tuberous roots of the plant highly toxic and dangerous.
According to a document from Oregon State University, it only takes a piece of root the size of a walnut to kill a 1,200-pound cow or horse. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain, epigastric distress, dizziness and death.
On Dec. 2, Jones texted Allen, “You can’t touch the plant.”
They then texted each other that they will need to wear gloves to handle the plant. Jones sent a message again and said, “I know I need to wear gloves and have some time alone to prepare the root.”
Allen attempted to poison Harold with the water hemlock in a bowl of chili, a Sprite and later in a margarita. Jones frustrated with the results, texted Allen and said, “I still wanna just finish it ya know lol.” Allen replied, “Lol yes I know and so do I tbh.”
After many failed attempts Jones ordered ethylene glycol on Dec. 13. Harold was poisoned on Dec. 19 which resulted in his death the next day.
A jury trial for Jones is currently set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 7, 2025 at the Jackson Circuit Court in Brownstown.
