SEYMOUR, IN – A woman in Indiana is facing multiple charges, including two counts of murder, after allegedly conspiring with her now-deceased mother to fatally poison her stepfather through a series of attempts using various lethal substances. The poisonings, which involved a modern chemical and ancient toxins, are alleged to have occurred over several months last fall, leading up to the victim’s death in December 2022.

Court documents reveal that the daughter, Ashley Jones, 30, attempted to kill Harold Allen using pong pong seeds, known for their lethal cerberin poison, initially baking them into brownies. Despite Allen falling severely ill and being hospitalized, the first attempt did not result in death. The mother and daughter duo expressed frustration over the failed poisoning in text messages cited in court documents.

Persisting in their plot, Jones and her mother, Marsha Allen, turned to hemlock – a poison with historical significance. Despite several attempts to administer the poison via food and drink, Allen did not succumb. The pair’s lethal efforts escalated on December 13, 2022, when Jones allegedly ordered ethylene glycol, a sweet-tasting and toxic antifreeze ingredient, which was later pinpointed as the cause of Allen’s demise on December 20.

Marsha Allen, 52, who also faced suspicion in the murder conspiracy, passed away on October 16, 2023, after another incident that implicated her daughter. Two men were arrested for burglarizing Allen’s home, allegedly under the direction of Jones. Jones is accused of using the men to access a gun safe, revealing her alleged depth of involvement in criminal activities.

Text messages retrieved from Marsha Allen’s phone by investigators unearthed discussions of the murder plot against her husband, Harold. Further evidence indicated Jones’ pivotal role in the planning and execution of the poisoning, with financial motives hinted at in the messages between the mother and daughter.

Ashley Jones awaits her trial, which is set to begin on January 7, 2025. As the daughter stands accused of orchestrating the fatal poisoning scheme, the case unveils a chilling account of a family’s descent into murderous collusion.