Harold Allen died on Dec. 19, 2022, after his wife Marsha Allen served him a poisoned root beer float laced with ethylene glycol, the antifreeze ingredient that would prove lethal, investigators said. His death came after months of failed poisoning attempts by Marsha Allen and her daughter Ashley Jones, who lived with the couple.
Background
The murder investigation began indirectly. When Marsha Allen's Freetown, Indiana, home was burglarized on Sept. 19, 2023, she told police she recognized one of the burglars recorded on her home security cameras. His name was Steven White, a friend of her daughter Ashley Jones.
Detective Clint Burcham of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant that Ashley Jones and Steven White were best friends. Only hours after Marsha Allen reported the crime, investigators located White. He confessed to the burglary but then told investigators that Marsha Allen was a "murderer."
White explained that Marsha Allen's husband Harold Allen had died the year before after months of sudden, declining health. At the time, his death was attributed to cardiac issues. White claimed Marsha Allen had killed Harold Allen by placing poison in a root beer float, and that Jones had been involved in the murder plot.
Through text messages between Marsha Allen and Jones, investigators discovered the two had attempted to kill Harold Allen multiple times in the months prior to his death using an array of exotic poisons. When those attempts failed, investigators say they turned to ethylene glycol.
The Charges
Jackson County Prosecutor Lynsey Fleetwood charged Ashley Jones with Harold Allen's murder. In August 2025, Jones took a plea deal. She pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
While awaiting trial, investigators say Jones gave her cellmate a "kill list" containing the names of people with knowledge of what happened to Harold Allen who she wanted eliminated. Lt. Adam Nicholson of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department said Jones told her cellmate the list contained names of witnesses in the case.
First on that list, say investigators, was Jones' best friend Steven White, who was charged in the burglary. Nicholson said handwriting analysis comparing the list to Jones' writing was "favorable," meaning it was likely penned by Ashley Jones.
Fleetwood noted that Jones was not charged with any crimes connected to the kill list. For his role in the burglary, White was sentenced to three and a half years.
Key Takeaways
- Harold Allen died on Dec. 19, 2022, after being poisoned with ethylene glycol in a root beer float
- Ashley Jones and her mother Marsha Allen attempted to kill Harold Allen multiple times before succeeding
- Steven White, Jones' best friend and co-defendant in a separate burglary, was first on the alleged kill list
- Jones pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder in August 2025
- She was sentenced to 50 years in prison; White received 3.5 years for burglary
- Marsha Allen died by suicide hours after being questioned by police in October 2023
What's Next
The case against Ashley Jones has concluded with her guilty plea and sentencing. Steven White has served his sentence for the burglary charge. The murder investigation into Marsha Allen's role in Harold Allen's death remains closed with her death.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department continues to maintain the case files, which prosecutors say could be revisited if new evidence emerges.
The story was featured in a CBS "48 Hours" episode airing April 4, 2026.