Private Investigator Murder Suspect Will Remain Free On Bond

April 24, 2018

Ashley Britt McArthur, charged with the murder of a private investigator, will remain free on bond.

McArthur, 40, was back in court Monday before Judge Jan Shackelford after the state filed a motion to revoke her bond. When she was released on a $400,000 bond shortly after her arrest, she was ordered to  to wear a GPS tracking device,  live with her mother in Gulf Breeze, and stay within Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

While she spent most nights with her mother, it was reported that she spent the night on multiple occasions with her husband in Escambia County.

Shackleford ruled that McArthur must spend every night with her mother and that she will remain free on the original $400,000 bond posted on February 5.

McArthur is facing a first degree murder charge for the death of 33-year old Taylor Wright, a private investigator and former police officer. Wright’s body was found last September off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road in Cantonment. She allegedly stole $34,000 from Wright.

McArthur operated Pensacola Automatic Amusement (PAA) on Pace Boulevard. She was charged in November 2017 with felony grand theft and fraud for the alleged theft of $13,301.04 from the Azalea Cocktail Lounge, which represented funds reported missing between July 10, 2015, and September 14, 2017. According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, lounge customers pay for games or the jukebox using cash, credit card or a mobile phone app.  The payments were to be split 50-50 between the Azalea Lounge and another company.  It was alleged that McArthur was splitting only the cash proceeds with lounge while keeping the proceeds from the credit card and mobile app payments.

In early April, McArthur was charged with arson and racketeering after she set fire to PAA in June 2017, according to court documents. The state alleges she started the fire to avoid a scheduled meeting with representatives of Azalea Lounge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Private Investigator Murder Suspect Will Remain Free On Bond”

  1. Anne on April 26th, 2018 5:00 pm

    Hope we the people will get a full accounting of how Connected this woman is in Escambia County.
    Tendrils run deep and far in this case.

  2. MiMI on April 25th, 2018 9:50 pm

    money can buy you anything,

  3. Rodney on April 25th, 2018 1:26 pm

    @YouPeople. Before you draw the conclusion of ignorance you should educate yourself. Long before Abe Lincoln or anyone else said it the verse in Proverbs 17:28 was written.

  4. David on April 25th, 2018 1:16 pm

    @ You People,… It is apparent you have a hard on for Jan Shackelford when she sentenced you. She protects law abiding citizens – from the ignorant people who profess to carry a grudge against a judge and jury who convicted him. get over it, you got what she gave you. It was her job to protect good people from people as yourself.
    Stop being the pot who called the kettle black.

  5. You People on April 25th, 2018 10:52 am

    Before you all so casually run your mouths; why don’t you take the time to educate yourselves? Abe Lincoln said it’s better to remain silent and let someone assume you’re a fool, than to open your your mouth and remove all doubt. Firstly, this woman has been charged not convicted. Being conbivted in the court of public opinion doesnt take your right to a bond. Secondly, Jan shackelford is responsible for ruining many lives with her draconian sentencing practices.

  6. mike on April 24th, 2018 7:38 pm

    aww, give the lady a break! don’t you know running around robbing, killing, stealing and burning, generally acting like a demon from hell set free to roam the face of the earth, has got to be stressful. plus being up for murder, the judge was trying to…uh, hmm, i dunno. :D

  7. Ensley Boy on April 24th, 2018 6:15 pm

    I didn”t even know they allowed bond for someone accused of murder. Is this something new?

  8. Betty on April 24th, 2018 2:19 pm

    I cannot believe this!!!

  9. Wayne Camp on April 24th, 2018 1:37 pm

    The constitution of the United States guarantees all persons legal representation, a fair trial, and a fair bond. If this is her first offense, which it probably is, there is no legal basis for denying her a bond in a “non-depraved” killing. If she has relatives with money that are so stupid as to post her bond that isn’t the judge’s fault.

    As for the “being punished” post, she hasn’t been convicted….yet. Punishment only starts after conviction. The purpose of pre-trial detention is to secure the person for trial.

    Search through recent homicides and then go onto the Clerk of Courts website and check the bond amounts listed through the process. I guarantee nearly every homicide suspect is granted a bond, but most don’t have families with the means, or are just to smart, to post their bonds.

    She’ll be convicted and spend the rest of her life in prison, where she belongs,

  10. mat on April 24th, 2018 11:46 am

    They say “Justice is Blind”
    I’m starting to believe it

  11. Leslie on April 24th, 2018 11:13 am

    Looks like it’s time for a judge replacement.

  12. Lamar Smith on April 24th, 2018 10:17 am

    The judicial system in America is broken. They all need to be replaced.

  13. Fed up on April 24th, 2018 10:07 am

    What is wrong with our Justice system? You sell drugs your not given a bond, but you steal money, start a fire and possible kill someone and you go free and your allowed to roam in both counties and you break that rule. What is Wrong with this judge? Maybe we need petition to remove her cause obviously she has favorites! Good old boy system strikes again.

  14. My2Cents on April 24th, 2018 9:42 am

    So she has allegedly killed someone, stole money, started a fire and now violated the conditions of the bond but she is still free…WOW

  15. ROBERT on April 24th, 2018 9:24 am

    Some get treated special for some reason..if she violated her bond then lock her up….

  16. just sayin on April 24th, 2018 9:11 am

    She must be a smooth talking master manipulator to still be out in society. What an insult to all of her victims.

  17. Nancy on April 24th, 2018 7:57 am

    The real mind boggling fact is that Judge Jan Shackelford was Aware of the arson charges when she grantedbond. Also I don’t think there has EVER been bond granted to a criminal charged with premeditated murder. How did this happen? Further she has the run of two counties. ?????

  18. anne 1of2 on April 24th, 2018 7:39 am

    I wish someone would explain who this woman is! Seems like she is a privileged sort! She has to stay with her mama? Who is mama anyway? Charged with murder? My brain cannot wrap around this. She needs to learn how to make it in life without mama! Lord help!

  19. Snuke on April 24th, 2018 7:28 am

    It’s an about money unfortunately! Obviously that judge doesn’t care about the victims family. The victim doesn’t get to visit her loved ones. This woman deserves the death penalty. She’s a cancer to society. If she wanted to do good in life and be a productitve citizen; ut she would have already.

  20. Lou on April 24th, 2018 7:21 am

    I can’t even believe this! Money talks! This woman is out free and really being punished! Hoping there will be justice when she goes to trial….which I’m sure they are pushing out as far as they can. What a Joke…Justice?

  21. Trocarman on April 24th, 2018 7:02 am

    Why is this low life receiving special treatment?

  22. A on April 24th, 2018 1:31 am

    This judge is brain-dead. Is she really going to let this make more victims?