A former Mississippi representative was fatally shot on Sunday at the same location where her sister-in-law was found deceased in December 2019, according to reports.
The North Mississippi Herald reported that Ashley Henley, 40, was found dead at the Water Valley property where she was believed to have been trimming grass. The slain lawmaker’s husband, Brandon Henley, told WLBT that police said his wife was shot in the back of the head in an “ambush-style attack.”
“There was a weed eater in close proximity to the body,” Assistant District Attorney Steve Jubera told the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
According to Y’all Politics, representative Steve Hopkins hinted in a since-deleted Facebook post that Ashley Henley was the victim of foul play. He reportedly also claimed his former colleague was investigating the murder of her sister-in-law, Kristina Jones, which occurred at the same property where she was killed on Sunday.
Reports indicated that Jones was found dead in the bedroom of a burned-out trailer on Christmas 2019. No arrests have been made in connection with her death.
“The fire investigators did confirm it was arson and the crime lab did confirm that there was no smoke in her lungs when she was found, so she was dead before the fire,” Brandon Henley explained to WREG.
According to The Washington Post, Ashley and Brandon Henley had erected a wooden sign that read “I WAS MURDERED” at the site where Jones’ body was found. Brandon Henley told WREG that his family had started reexploring his sister’s death days before his wife was killed.
This week, Brandon Henley told WLBT that the Yalobusha Sheriff’s Department has not provided any updates regarding his sister’s case, even in light of his wife’s apparent murder.
Authorities have not disclosed whether they suspect Ashley Henley and Jones’ cases are related, but Brandon Henley told WREG that he believes there is a link.
He commented, “I have my own theory and the police do too and he is a suspect and there was someone taken in for questioning apparently last night.”
Ashley Henley, a Republican, was a teacher before she won a 2015 election to represent DeSoto County in the state House. She served as a representative until losing a 2019 reelection bid by 14 votes. Y’all Politics reported that she was employed as a legislative fellow for the Mississippi Center for Public Policy at the time of her death.
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[Featured image: Ashley Henley/GoFundMe; Facebook]
