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Son jailed for allegedly killing mother in San Tan Valley

Umito November 2, 2024

SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ (AZFamily) — An 18-year-old faces charges for allegedly killing his mother in Pinal County this week.

Alan Ashcroft was jailed Thursday afternoon in connection with the death of his mother, Mary Collier, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. He faces a charge of first degree murder.

The San Tan Valley community remains in shock as loved ones reveal new details about Collier.

Collier’s husband and one of her sons spoke off-camera with Arizona’s family, saying the loss was tragic, sudden and inexplicable.

The 38-year-old was a mother of four and will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Collier is remembered as kind, loving, caring and patient.

With Halloween decorations strung up on this quiet San Tan Valley street, neighbors are having a hard time understanding how something truly terrifying happened as families prepare to trick-or-treat.

“Yesterday, my stomach was in knots a lot just thinking about why someone could be so hateful and mean to the person who gave birth to them,” said Jill Appleberry, a neighbor who lives just steps from the Collier family.

THE Pinal County Sheriff’s Office says Collier’s 18-year-old son killed her with a bladed weapon in a nearby field, then left her body and called 911 to make it appear she had been kidnapped.

“Someone who obviously doesn’t want to get caught up in what he did because he has to make up a story and say something that wasn’t true because he found out part of it was false, no one kidnapped his mother, he did it himself,” Appleberry said.

Collier’s husband told Arizona Family reporter Micaela Marshall that there was some sort of fight Tuesday night and the mother and son walked together the next morning, hoping to resolve persistent problems.

When the son came home alone, the husband asked where she was and he replied that his son’s story kept changing. They went looking for him together, but a jogger made the gruesome discovery shortly after.

“Disgust that another life has to be lost to violence,” Appleberry said. “As a mom, I feel bad for the kids because their older brother took their mom away from them and now they have to live without mom.”

Deputies say the suspect suffered injuries and was taken to the hospital. Once released, he will be charged with murder.

Collier’s husband says their son has no history of mental illness, and deputies say he has never been in trouble with the law.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.

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