John Jefferson
Inset: Ashley White (17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office). Background: courtroom in Adams County District Court (DA’s Office).
A 29-year-old woman in Colorado is facing decades behind bars for killing her boyfriend, shooting him twice in the head shortly after she attempted but failed to “drown and burn” his cat. Following a three-week trial in Adams County District Court, a jury found Ashley White guilty on one count each of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and robbery in the 2020 slaying of Cody DeLisa, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, White and DeLisa’s relationship had grown “volatile and strained” in the months preceding his murder, with the victim often criticizing White for struggling to secure full-time employment.
“White expressed resentment, even writing in her diary that she regretted ever meeting DeLisa,” the release states. “Her frustration escalated after an incident in which she attempted to drown and burn DeLisa’s cat, a behavior that raised alarms about her mental well-being.”
The couple’s relationship struggles reached a nadir on Aug. 13, 2020, when White went for a job interview in Denver. A neighbor drove her to the interview, and she took the bus home. During the trip back, White texted DeLisa about the interview, and he responded by “expressing skepticism about her chances of getting the job, which upset White,” prosecutors said.
While riding back, White met a man who introduced himself as “Scott” and they began talking. At some point, Scott asked White if she “was in a relationship with a man and whether he raped her.”
“White responded he had, and Scott then said they must kill him.”
The two got off the bus and “spent time together and fired Scott’s gun.” They then walked to White and DeLisa’s home where Scott introduced himself to DeLisa as White’s brother, claiming he was from Texas. Within minutes of the false introduction, White and Scott shot DeLisa twice in the head, killing him. The duo then took DeLisa’s wallet and fled.
After the murder, White and Scott “spent the next few days in the area before Scott departed, and White never saw him again,” prosecutors said.
DeLisa’s body was discovered when police conducted a welfare check on the home one day after the shooting.
Investigators quickly identified White as a primary suspect in the shooting and she provided a detailed confession during an interview with detectives leading to her arrest.
The identity of “Scott” remained a mystery for about three years, which is when a woman contacted the district attorney’s office saying she believed her boyfriend, Michael Stratton, was the other person responsible for DeLisa’s murder. At the time, Stratton was already in custody for allegedly killing another man, 39-year-old Michael Hunt, in Pueblo, Colorado.
Michael Stratton (Pueblo Police Dept.)
Prosecutors say Stratton has been deemed incompetent to stand trial for Hunt’s murder and has not been charged with killing DeLisa.
“This was a tragic and senseless murder and Ashley White bears significant culpability for it,” District Attorney Brian Mason said in a statement. “Her callous actions led to the victim’s death and now she will pay a significant price. I thank the jury, who endured three weeks of difficult testimony before reaching their verdict, as well as our law enforcement partners and my team at the DA’s Office for their diligent, hard work seeking justice in this case.”
White is currently scheduled to appear for her sentencing hearing before Adams County District Judge Jeffrey Ruff on April 4. She faces a maximum sentence of 48 years on the murder charge.
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