Suvechha Sarkar
Ashley Pittman was a vibrant young woman who always lit up every room she walked into. However, on Thanksgiving Day in 2006, she met her untimely demise in her home in Cordova, Tennessee. Not only did it leave her family shattered with grief, but it also turned the lives of her friends upside down. The episode titled ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘American Monster’ dives deeper into the layers of this case, which reveals she was brutally murdered. Through interviews with loved ones and accounts from investigators, the episode explores how a heated argument turned into a brutal crime.
Ashley Pittman’s Thanksgiving Ended in Tragedy
Ashley Pittman was born on November 4, 1978, in the heart of Bossier City, Louisiana. Her mother, Donna Lowry, was pregnant with her when she met Jimmy Pittman, who adopted her as his own daughter. He also had a 5-year-old daughter named Kecia, and the sisters grew up in a kind, loving, and supportive household side-by-side. After her studies at Sun City Elementary School, Ashley went to Elm Grove Middle School before graduating from Parkway High School in 1996. She then pursued higher education at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas before graduating in 2000.
Ashley’s life took a turn in 1998 when she met 22-year-old Jeffrey Scott, the man she believed to be the love of her life. However, her relationship with her family changed soon after, as she reportedly sent a letter to her sister asking her and their parents never to contact her again. Eventually, Ashley and Jeffrey decided to start a family of their own, starting with him proposing to her on Christmas Eve of 2000. It was a memorable time for her, and the duo soon embarked on their forever journey as they shared their vows during an intimate ceremony on June 9, 2001. Not long after, in early 2004, Ashley also achieved her dream of becoming an English teacher at Bolton High School. Everything seemed perfect in her life until November 24, 2006.
That’s the day Jeffrey called 911, asking for help because he had found Ashley unconscious in their home. His friend, Roger Mcgee, who was a doctor, was also present at the scene. He was the one to declare she was having trouble breathing, which alerted the official on the call. The emergency medical services arrived just five minutes later and found Roger performing CPR on her in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Ashley was bleeding heavily and had multiple bruises. Soon after, she was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her autopsy ascertained that she had a fractured skull, a subdural hematoma, and many other injuries, resulting in her death a short time later. Officials then kickstarted an investigation, which ultimately brought some disturbing facts to light.
Ashley Pittman’s Killer Had Been Abusive Towards Her For a While
When officials first arrived at the scene, the first person they questioned was Ashley’s husband, Jeffrey Scott. He told them that he and Ashley had gotten into a huge fight, and since both of them were drunk at that time, things got out of hand. He said that he ended up striking her before she eventually tripped and fell due to her alleged drunken state. However, this account did not sit right with detectives, and when her autopsy came to light, they knew something was amiss. After all, her report had reportedly also determined that her body had several old bruises, which were consistent with abusive trauma.
The recent injuries she had sustained, per her autopsy, followed the same pattern, indicating they could not have been possible if she had only tripped and fallen. By this point, though, detectives had already arrested Jeffrey and charged him with aggravated assault — they had reportedly taken him into custody on suspicion that day itself before formally indicting him. One of Ashley’s close friends reportedly informed the police that a week before the murder, Ashley had called her from a closet. She had allegedly told her friend that she and Jeffrey had gotten into a huge fight, and she was afraid for her life.
It was through this account, as well as further investigations into him, that detectives came to know about his affair with one of his coworkers. On speaking with this individual, they were able to learn that she was actually an eyewitness to Jeffrey assaulting Ashley. They subsequently searched the Pittman-Scott household, where they found small traces of blood in the garage, near the fireplace, and in the bedroom. They also came to know that on November 22, 2006, Ashley had contacted a divorce lawyer and reportedly decided to tell Jeffrey that she wanted to leave him for good. With all this available information as likely evidence and witnesses’ testimonies, his charge was ultimately upgraded to first-degree murder.
Jeffrey Scott Has Been Brought to Justice and is Serving His Time in Prison
As the trial of Ashley Pittman commenced, the prosecutors brought several horrifying facts to light. Apart from the evidence collected from the crime scene, they also pointed out the fact that the victim was unconscious for at least 12 to 15 hours. However, Jeffrey did not make the 911 call until his friend arrived on the scene the next day and asked him to call for help. They also added the information that Ashley had packed up all her stuff in the car in an attempt to leave the abusive marriage. Alongside this, the witness accounts, autopsy results, and infidelity were also highlighted.
On the other hand, the defense reportedly argued that Ashley’s death was not pre-meditated, and Jeffrey had no intent to kill. They also claimed that he was grieving and was blindsided by this sudden loss. On this aspect, the defense added, “They were trying to get the marriage back on track…to have a baby…to buy a new house.” After six hours of jury deliberation, they found Jeffrey guilty of second-degree murder in January 2009. Finally, on February 19, 2009, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison with no possibility of parole. After hearing the sentence, Ashley’s father grew emotional and said, “At least I’m going to go home and be happier. Have a little piece of mind, anyhow.” As of writing, Jeffrey Scott is serving his sentence in Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, which is located in Pikeville, Bledsoe County, Tennessee.
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