Son jailed for mother’s murder in San Tan Valley

SUN TAN VALLEY, AZ (AZFamily) — An 18-year-old has been charged with allegedly killing his mother in Pinal County this week.

Alan Ashcroft was booked into jail Thursday afternoon in connection with the death of his mother, Mary Collier, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. He is charged with 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 to Arizona’s family off-camera, saying the loss was tragic, sudden and inexplicable.

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

On this quiet San Tan Valley street lined with Halloween decorations, neighbors are trying to figure out how something truly terrible happened and families are preparing to trick-or-treat.

“My stomach churned yesterday thinking about why someone could be so hateful and cruel to the person who brought them into this world,” said Jill Appleberry, a neighbor who lives just steps away from the Collier family.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said Collier was killed by his 18-year-old son. with a bladed weapon in a nearby field, then left the body and called 911 to make it appear as if she had been kidnapped.

“Someone who clearly doesn’t want to get caught doing what they did because they have to fabricate a story and say something that isn’t true because it turns out part of it was fake. Nobody kidnapped his mother, he did it himself. Appleberry said.

Collier’s husband told Arizona’s Family reporter Michaela Marshall that there was some kind of fight Tuesday night and the mother and son went out together the next morning, hoping to resolve any remaining issues.

When the son came home alone, the husband asked where she was and said that his son’s story was constantly changing. They set out together to look for her, but the runner soon made a terrible discovery.

“Disgust at the fact that another life has to be lost to violence,” Appleberry said. “As a mother, I feel sorry for the children because their older brother took their mother and now they have to live without their mother.”

According to police, the suspect was injured and was taken to the hospital. Once he is released, he will be charged with murder.

Collier’s husband says their son has no history of mental illness, and deputies say he has no previous run-ins with the law.

A A GoFundMe has been created. to help the family.

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