On the evening of Friday, June 26, 2020, in a residence on Trough Road in Hardy County, West Virginia, the life of 28-year-old Ashley Nichole McDonald was tragically cut short. Ashley, who was from the Moorefield area but resided in Oldtown, Maryland, was pregnant with her son, Rowan Jackson McDonald, at the time of her death.
That night, the Hardy County 911 center received a call reporting a shooting at the home of Quentin Strawderman. When officers from the Hardy County Sheriff's Office and the Moorefield Police Department arrived at the scene around 11 p.m., they discovered the bodies of Ashley McDonald and 24-year-old Quentin Strawderman inside the residence. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation that followed, aided by the presence of witnesses who were in the house at the time of the shooting, quickly pointed to a murder-suicide. Authorities determined that Strawderman shot and killed McDonald before turning the. 45 caliber handgun on himself.
As a result, no arrests were made, and no other suspects were sought in connection with Ashley's death. The investigation was to be further informed by the results of autopsies and the medical examiner's report.
Ashley was remembered as an outgoing and beloved individual who never met a stranger. She was a graduate of Fort Hill High School and had earned a certification as a Pharmacy Technician from Allegany Community College. Her family and friends were left to mourn the devastating loss of both Ashley and her unborn son. A graveside service was held for them at Olivet Cemetery on July 3, 2020.
