A Florida man arrested earlier this week in the shooting death of a mother of two has now been charged with murder and tampering with evidence in another killing.
Phillip Stapleton, 32, was charged with principal to murder in the first-degree and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the July 20 death of 22-year-old Ashley Voss, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Voss was the mother of two sons, a 22-month-old fathered by Stapleton and a 4-year-old.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the new charges stem from a man found dead on the side of a road in Thonotasassa on June 12, 2021.
“The case was ruled a homicide, and detectives continued to follow up on leads over the last two years,” the HCSO said on Friday.
Investigators released little information about the older case, but Sheriff Chad Chronister said his office never gave up, and Stapleton was charged in the older case a week after his arrest for his involvement in Voss’s murder.
“This shameless killer thought he could get away with murder on multiple occasions,” Chronister said. “His cold-blooded crimes end now. While nothing can fully heal the damage he has caused, I pray these victims’ loved ones find comfort in knowing Stapleton will now have to answer for his actions.”
Stapleton has been charged with principal to murder and conspiracy to murder in Voss’s July 20 death, CrimeOnline reported. Authorities had already arrested Aurelio Diaz, 32, and charged him with first degree murder for allegedly pulling the trigger to kill the 22 year old. Investigator say that Stapleton texted Diaz her location just before the shooting, and a doorbell camera captured him walking up to her vehicle and shooting her through a window outside her grandmother’s home.
Stapleton told detectives he told Diaz only to prank Voss, which he said involved dumping feces on her doorstep.
Stapleton also allegedly helped police develop evidence against Diaz, including recording phone calls with him in which he incriminated himself.
But Diaz maintained in those conversations that Stapleton had directed him to shoot Voss, at one point telling him: “I did it just like I told you, walked up to the back window, and boom,” Diaz allegedly told Stapleton during one of the calls.
Family members said that Stapleton and Voss had been arguing over child support prior to the shooting.
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[Featured Image: Ashley Voss and her children/GoFundMe, Center; Aurelio Diaz/Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Left; Phillip Stapleton/Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Right]
