Mary Collier, a 38-year-old mother from San Tan Valley, Arizona, was discovered dead on October 30 after a walk with her son, Alan Ashcroft, turned into a tragic and fatal encounter. Collier’s body was found in a field by a passerby following Ashcroft’s claim that she had been kidnapped. However, upon arriving at the family’s home, police found Ashcroft covered in blood. After attempting to flee the scene, he reportedly confessed to killing his mother in a brutal attack.
According to court records, Collier and Ashcroft had been in conflict leading up to the incident, but they had resolved to move forward, taking a walk together to mend their relationship. Shockingly, during this outing, Ashcroft attacked his mother with a knife. He allegedly left her body near a stack of hay bales before calling police with a fabricated story about her abduction. When officers arrived, they found Ashcroft visibly distressed, covered in blood, and reportedly pleading with officers to “shoot him in the head” before being restrained and arrested.
Police later matched his footprints to those found at the scene and discovered disturbing entries in his diary. One chilling passage read, “My mother needs to be destroyed, for her good… The time is now!” These revelations have left the community and family reeling in disbelief.
Family members remember Collier as a warm and caring individual who cherished her loved ones. “Mary had a heart made of love and hymns,” her niece, Zel Harweel, shared with AZ Central. “She always made space for her family and filled our lives with joy.” Harweel has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs, raising over $15,000 to date.
In the wake of this tragedy, Collier’s family is struggling to come to terms with her loss. “Our family is hurting and grieving,” said her son Ammon Ashcroft, “but we find solace in knowing she was a wonderful woman whose kindness touched so many.”
Alan Ashcroft has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held on a $1 million bond.