On a summer morning in Kansas City, Kansas, the life of 37-year-old female Ashley Jones was tragically cut short. On July 8, 2021, police responded to a medical call at her home in the 1400 block of North Eighth Street around 9:40 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found Ashley inside with an apparent gunshot wound. Despite the initial report being for a woman in respiratory arrest, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department's Major Case Unit immediately
began an investigation into the shooting. Their efforts led to a significant development less than two weeks later. A 39-year-old man, Verlee McCullough, was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with Ashley's death. He was held in the Wyandotte County jail on a $1 million bond.
In July of 2023, a Wyandotte County jury found Verlee McCullough III, then 41 years old, guilty of first-degree premeditated murder for the killing of Ashley Jones. The conviction carries a life sentence under Kansas law. Ashley LaRhea Jones, who was born on July 18, 1983, was remembered for her infectious smile and her love for family, music, and cooking. She was a mother of two children.
