On December 14, 2023, a tragic series of events unfolded in Ashland, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of three members of the Bell family, including 19-year-old Autumn Bell. Autumn, who was pregnant with her first child, was found dead from a gunshot wound at a residence on the 300 Block of Philadelphia Road in rural Ashland. Her boyfriend, Brein Pena, 20, who was also the father of the unborn child, was found at the scene suffering from life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The incident began when multiple law enforcement agencies responded to a call reporting a shooting at the Philadelphia Road residence. Upon arrival, they found Autumn deceased and Pena injured. Pena provided crucial information that led officers to a second crime scene at a mobile home park on Lockard Street, where they discovered the bodies of Autumn's mother, 53-year-old Christina Bell, and her 16-year-old sister, Alaria Bell. Both Christina and Alaria also died from gunshot wounds.
The suspect identified in the shootings was Ronald “Butch” Cobren Jr., 62, who was Christina Bell's fiancé. Cobren was a retired US postal worker and a longtime resident of Ashland. After the murders, Cobren called a friend and confessed to the shootings, stating he was going to kill himself. Despite the friend's efforts to locate him, Cobren was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his vehicle near North Main and Oak Street in Jacksonville, Illinois, following a traffic stop by the Jacksonville Police Department.
The community of Ashland was deeply affected by the tragedy, with many expressing shock and devastation. Friends and family members, including a family friend named Rachel Pearn, set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses for the Bell family. The local school, A-C Central Middle & High School, also paid tribute to Alaria by asking students to wear her favorite color, purple, in her memory.
The investigation into the murders is ongoing, involving multiple law enforcement agencies including the Cass County Sheriff's Office, Ashland Police Department, Beardstown Police Department, and others. Despite the suspect's death, the community remains in search of answers to the question of why such a heinous act occurred.
