Suvechha Sarkar
In December 2022, the life of the 52-year-old Harold Lewis Allen Jr., lovingly known as Peanut, came to an abrupt end. What was initially deemed to be a natural death soon unraveled into a murder plot by two of the people closest to him. The episode titled ‘The Root Beer Float Murder’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours’ explores the details of the investigation of this case, which included thousands of text messages and repeated poisoning attempts. It also features interviews with his loved ones and the law enforcement officials who uncovered the entire plot during another investigation.
Harold Allen’s Death Was Initially Considered to be a Result of Heart Problems
Born on September 29, 1970, Harold Lewis Allen Jr. brought immense joy to the lives of his parents, Carolyn Lyttle and Harold Lewis Allen Sr. He grew up in a household filled with love and laughter in Scottsburg, Indiana. He was affectionately known as Peanut and had forged a strong bond with his brothers, James and Matthew Allen. Sadly, Harold Sr. and Carolyn’s union didn’t work out, and they ultimately got a divorce. Luckily, Harold Sr. got a second chance at love when he met Sherry Allen, and they soon tied the knot. After completing his formal education, Harold entered the professional world by joining Aisin USA. In his adulthood, Harold eventually crossed paths with Marsha Allen, and their relationship soon blossomed.
Sometime in 2021, Harold and Marsha finally got married, leading him to welcome her son, Jamie Allen Buxton, and daughter, Ashley Nicole Jones, into his life. Harold and his wife settled into their home on North State Road 135 in Freetown, Indiana. On November 27, 2022, he had to be taken to the emergency room at Schneck Medical Center when he suddenly experienced numbness on the side of his face. Although Harold returned home, he was again taken to the hospital on November 30, 2022, since he faced symptoms like fever, chills, and vomiting. During the second visit, doctors reportedly attributed the symptoms to intestinal inflammation. Things took a turn on December 20, 2022, when Marsha called 911 to ask for help because she found Harold unresponsive on the bedroom floor.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they found Harold dead. Since he had a medical history, officials initially considered that he died due to heart problems. On September 19, 2023, authorities received another 911 call from Marsha, reporting a burglary at her home. She reportedly told detectives she recognized one of the burglars, Steven White. When investigators questioned Steven, he informed them that Harold had actually been poisoned. A toxicology test revealed that Harold had ethylene glycol (a toxic chemical found in antifreeze) in his system. The compound is colorless, odorless, and sweet-tasting, which makes it difficult to detect in food or drinks. It was determined to be the primary poison that killed Harold, turning the case into a homicide investigation.
A Burglary Report Unraveled the Truth Behind Harold’s Suspicious Death
Harold’s death was initially deemed to be natural since he had previously faced medical problems. However, the initial conclusion of natural death changed when a burglary happened at Marsha’s house on September 19, 2023. According to reports, when authorities questioned her, she informed them that she recognized one of the burglars, Steven White, who was a friend of her daughter, Ashley. Marsha continued that she believed her daughter was responsible for the burglary at her home and voluntarily gave her own cell phone to the officials. By the time investigators interrogated Steven, he confessed that Ashley had recruited him and another burglar, Nathaniel Kane Napier, to commit the crime.
In his statements, Steven claimed that Ashley told him Marsha had killed Harold by poisoning him through a root beer float. Meanwhile, digital forensics experts reportedly discovered thousands of text messages between Marsha and Ashley, discussing plans of poisoning Harold. The messages revealed that the mother and daughter had begun discussing it a few months before his death. In September 2022, Ashley received confirmation of an order for pong pong seeds, a highly toxic substance. According to the affidavit, Ashley and Marsha began their plan to commit murder in November 2022, during which they discussed using the seeds to bake brownies. On November 26, Marsha shared a picture of Harold and his half-eaten brownie with Ashley. The following day, he was taken to the emergency room when he became ill.
Officials Pieced Together the Case Through a Chain of Texts and a Confession
After Harold returned home, Marsha texted Ashley, saying, “I am irritated and can’t sleep peacefully. I need this to be over. I wish it would reach its climax and be done lol.” Following Marsha’s text, Ashley reportedly replied, “Agreed.” On December 1, 2022, Ashley ordered another toxic plant, water hemlock, and foxglove seeds. She then instructed her mother, saying, “You can’t touch the plant,” according to the text messages. Court records specify that Marsha allegedly used it three times: in a margarita, in a soda, and in a bowl of chili. Further investigation revealed that ultimately, on December 13, 2022, Ashley ordered ethylene glycol. The texts uncovered that after receiving the poison, she contacted her mother, texting, “The mail is here,” to which Marsha replied, “He’s all in for root beer floats.”
Police records indicate that although Marsha was questioned, officials let her go. On October 16, 2023, Marsha was found dead inside her home. According to investigative reports, authorities believed her death was possibly a suicide. The following day, Ashley confessed to buying the ethylene glycol online but insisted that Marsha was the one who laced Harold’s drink with it. Ashley was arrested on October 18, 2023, and was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, and one count of consumer product tampering, alongside the charge of burglary. In August 2024, Ashley faced the additional charge of attempted murder.
Ashley Jones is Serving Her Sentence at a State Prison Facility Today
Following her indictment, Ashley had pleaded not guilty to her charges. During the initial proceedings, the prosecution revealed that she had used a separate email address via Apple Inc.’s Hide My Email feature. Court records state that Ashley used that email to place orders for the poisonous substances. Her jury trial was scheduled for January 2025, but she avoided it by entering a guilty plea. On August 7, 2025, Ashley pleaded guilty to the charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. According to the plea agreement, she faced 45-50 years in prison. Ashley ultimately received a combined 50-year prison term for both charges on September 23, 2025. As of writing, Ashley is incarcerated at the Indiana Women’s Prison in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her projected release date being March 24, 2061.
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