On the morning of May 13, 2026, a distressing 911 call was made from a home on West Ely Street in Alliance, Ohio. Two children had made the harrowing discovery of their 38-year-old mother, Ashley Ross, deceased in her bedroom. When Alliance Police officers arrived at the residence, they found Ashley Ross and immediately determined her death to be a homicide of a suspicious nature. The children were safely removed from the home and placed in the care of family members who had arrived at the scene.
The investigation quickly centered on Ashley's husband, Robert Andre Ross, who was identified as the primary suspect. A murder warrant was issued for his arrest, and authorities warned that he was considered armed and dangerous, possibly in possession of a firearm. A multi-state manhunt ensued, with the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force joining the search. Investigators were able to track Robert Ross's vehicle using a license plate reader, which led them to Morgantown, West Virginia. Later that same day, with the coordination of local law enforcement, a traffic stop was conducted, and Robert Ross was arrested without incident.
Following his arrest, Robert Ross was held in West Virginia before being extradited back to Stark County, Ohio, to face charges. During his initial court appearance in Alliance Municipal Court, which he attended via video from the Stark County Jail, his bond was set at $5 million. More than a dozen of Ashley Ross's friends and supporters were present in the courtroom, many wearing shirts with her picture to honor her memory. Friends described her as a devoted and protective mother of four who could "light up any room" and had expressed fear and sought help prior to her death. The case against Robert Andre Ross is now set to go before a Stark County grand jury, and the criminal proceedings are ongoing.
