In the late spring of 2020, the quiet town of Lansford, Pennsylvania, was shaken by a tragedy that unfolded within the walls of a family home. On May 26th, 34-year-old Ashley Belson was found deceased, the victim of a devastating act of violence. Her life, along with that of her 9-year-old daughter, was cut short by gunshot wounds to the head. The scene discovered by authorities also included the body of Ashley's partner of over a decade, Marc Lerario, who had also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Carbon County coroner officially ruled the deaths of Ashley and her young daughter as homicides.
The family's life in the former coal mining town had been fraught with turmoil, much of it hidden from public view. Ashley had been struggling with a drug addiction, a battle that intensified during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. The economic strain of the times had a significant impact on the family; Ashley, the primary breadwinner, lost her job as a waitress when her restaurant closed due to pandemic restrictions. This financial pressure, coupled with Marc Lerario's unmedicated bipolar disorder, created an increasingly volatile home environment. Friends and family were aware of the escalating problems, with Ashley's mother expressing her worry and a sense that her daughter was in pain.
Marc Lerario had a documented history of a violent temper. In 2018, he was charged with choking Ashley, although the charges were later dropped when she did not appear at a court hearing. His history of assault charges extended back years and included incidents in both New Jersey and Maryland. Ashley had considered leaving him but was fearful that he would harm her if she tried to take their daughter, Ava, with her. In the time leading up to the tragic event, Lerario's behavior grew increasingly paranoid, and he had set up a blow-up mattress in the living room to stand guard against what he perceived as invisible threats.
The grim discovery was made by Ashley's other children, who were also in the home at the time. The investigation concluded that Marc Lerario fatally shot both Ashley and their daughter, Ava, as she slept in her bed, before turning the gun on himself. Two other male children in the home at the time were physically unharmed and released to the care of family members. The community was left to mourn the loss of a mother and her child, a tragedy compounded by the underlying issues of domestic violence and mental health struggles that had quietly festered within the family's home.
