Suvechha Sarkar
The quiet snow-covered town of Collingwood, Ontario, was shaken to its core in January 2023 when Ashley Jane Schwalm was found dead. She was a 40-year-old hardworking woman and a loving mother of three. Her untimely demise left her loved ones completely heartbroken in the aftermath. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Running Man’ delves deeper into its intensive investigation, which revealed within a week that she had actually been killed. The authorities eventually succeeded in uncovering that one of her closest people was responsible for her death. It also features interviews with the officials who worked tirelessly on the case.
Ashley Schwalm’s Remains Were Discovered in a Burnt Vehicle
Ashley Jane Milnes was welcomed into the world sometime around 1983 by Shelley Anne and Ian Milnes. She grew up in a loving household surrounded by the unwavering love and support of her parents. Aside from that, she was always close with her sisters, Lesley Anne and Lindsey Patricia, and her brother, Ian David. After graduating from high school, Ashley completed higher education at Dalhousie University. She began her professional journey as a Personal Assistant at Bosley Real Estate Ltd. in January 2006. After working there for over 5 years, Ashley became the owner of Stage of Art in March 2011 and held the position until January 2014. By June of that year, she stepped into the role of Designer/Office Manager at Porter Skelton & Associates.
Ashley moved on from that organization in August 2021; however, before that, she also became a Construction Project Coordinator for Patty Mac in July 2021. Ultimately, she took on the role of Project Specialist at Blake Farrow Project Management in May 2022. While she was building her career, Ashley crossed paths with James William Schwalm. Soon after, they tied the knot in September 2012, and within a few years, they welcomed their two children, a son and a daughter, into their lives. Since James worked for the Brampton Fire Department, Ashley also became a significant part of their firefighter community. From time to time, she enjoyed going hiking, playing golf, and tennis. By 2018, the family had settled into their new home in Collingwood, Ontario. However, things took a dark turn on January 26, 2023.
A driver was passing by the town of Blue Mountains around 6 am, when he saw an SUV on fire in a ditch below the road. Shortly after receiving the report, officials arrived at the scene and discovered charred human remains in the passenger side of the car. According to reports, they discovered from the license plate that the car belonged to James. Further inspection revealed footprints in the snow leading away from the driver’s side toward the road, indicating that the individual in the vehicle wasn’t alone. They also found a lighter nearby with the initials “JWS” engraved on it. The dental records reportedly helped the authorities identify the remains as Ashley’s. The autopsy uncovered that she had passed away before the fire. Her cause of death was determined to be neck compressions due to strangulation.
Family Testimonies and Forensic Evidence Exposed the Truth Behind Ashley’s Murder
After investigators discovered that the vehicle belonged to James, they questioned him. According to reports, he claimed that Ashley had gone out earlier that day for hiking at a nearby ski club. He also reportedly showed them texts that were allegedly from Ashley. Investigative reports state that when their family members were questioned, officials learned that Ashley had an affair with her boss around early 2022. Family members reportedly stated that after the affair was revealed in April 2022, she changed her job, and both she and James tried to make their relationship work. By December of that year, both of them had reportedly expressed skepticism about their relationship to their family members, as per official records.
Detectives also learned that James was having an affair with the ex-wife of Ashley’s boss, the same individual with whom Ashley had previously had an affair. According to court records, James and Ashley’s son informed the police that he had heard his parents arguing on the night of January 25. According to their son’s statements, he claimed that when he went to check, Ashley allegedly asked him to bring her phone because she wanted to call the police. He continued that he had seen James crying around 3 am and wearing a coat. Their son claimed that James had told him that he was going to take the dog for a walk. Investigators also honed in on the fact that the initials “JWS” on the lighter stood for the full name of James.
Moreover, officials reportedly discovered two life insurance policies in Ashley’s name, worth $250,000 and $1 million. According to official records, the beneficiary for the second policy was James. Authorities believed that James had first strangled Ashley and then placed her remains in the SUV before driving it to the location. As per court records, James later officially admitted that he had staged the scene to make it look like an accident and then burned the vehicle after pouring gasoline on it. On February 3, 2023, James was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body. The murder charge was later upgraded to first-degree on February 17, 2023. Ultimately, on June 20, 2024, James pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.
