Ashley Parmeley, Pevely, Missouri mom drowns 2 year old son, shoots 9 year old daughter dead. Arrives at Festus Police station to confess murders. No known motive.
Why? A 36 year old woman faces charges following the double homicide of her two children after she walked into a Missouri police station Tuesday morning and confessed to drowning her 2 year old son along with shooting her 9 year old daughter dead.
Ashley Parmeley, 36, of Pevely, upon arriving at the Festus Police Station was soon after charged with one count of second-degree murder for the death of her two-year-old son, Isaac.
During a frantic search the boy was found unresponsive Tuesday morning at a fountain at Timbercreek Resort on Highway 67, some 13 miles from the police station. He was later pronounced dead, according to police.
Community left in disbelief
Parmeley’s nine-year-old daughter, Scarlet was found deceased after apparent gunshot wounds inside a silver Mazda SUV the mother had traveled in, parked outside the police station just on 10.30am.
Investigators believe the girl was shot in the 9000 block of Hwy. E near Bonne Terre, which is in St. Francois County. Officials say they intend to apply further charges with the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said officers searched for a third child who was found safe. ‘So many people in our community will be impacted by this,’ Marshak told media.
Marshak said it looks like the boy was drowned after the girl’s shooting, and that Parmeley shot her daughter and then drove to the police station with the girl inside the SUV.
Marshak said investigators found a gun in the SUV.
Marshak said there was no evidence the woman and children had been guests of the resort where the 2 year old boy was found drowned.
No known motives
A second-degree murder, a class A felony which Parmeley now faced in relation to the homicide death of the 2 year old boy is punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison. Charges for the homicide of the 9 year old girl were forthcoming.
On Tuesday evening, Marshak said it was too early to know the woman’s motives.
Marshak said that investigators believe that the daughter was shot dead in a residential suburban area before the sibling’s drowning.
The parent remained held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The sheriff described Parmeley as having ‘strong ties’ to the local community and said that he didn’t think that she had ever been in trouble with the law before.
When she arrived at the police station, Parmeley’s clothes were described as ‘wet’ and ‘disheveled.’
‘Shall Not Be Infringed.’
Parmeley’s daughter according to officials had just completed third grade at Festus Elementary School.
‘Scarlet’s teachers and administrators say she was a bubbly, energetic, and trustworthy student. They say she was caring and compassionate, eager to please, with a good sense of humor,’ a statement from the school read.
‘She could make friends with anyone and she was very much looking forward to moving to the 4th grade when classes resume in August. ‘
Read a post the 9 year old girl’s father, Jason Daugherty wrote in part on Facebook:
‘Dream friends and family I never thought this day would come, but I don’t think any parent really does. Scarlet is no longer with us. She loved everybody she ever met and loved everything in the world. She had no hate in her heart. I’m not sure what words to say…’
But there’s more.
On the morning of May 28, Parmeley changed her Facebook profile photo to show a plain black image. Another of her most recently viewable posts is a meme with a picture of an assault rifle with the words, ‘Shall Not Be Infringed.’
