Private Investigator Murder Suspect Convicted Of Racketeering; Held Without Bond

January 26, 2019

The woman accused of murdering a local private investigator and burying her body on family property in Cantonment has been convicted on unrelated charges.

Friday, an Escambia County Jury convicted Ashley Britt McArthur, 41, of racketeering and organized fraud. Judge Jan Shackleford immediately remanded her into custody where she will be held without bond.

While employed by Pensacola Automatic Amusement, from 2015 to 2017, McArthur embezzled thousands of dollars from two clients, the Azalea Cocktail Lounge and Seville Quarter.

Pensacola Automatic Amusement serviced entertainment machines and jukeboxes for various clients in the Pensacola area for 40 years. McArthur falsified collection reports for jukeboxes at the Azalea Lounge and Seville Quarter while keeping the unreported proceeds.

A sentencing date has not yet been set. The state intends to seek the maximum sentence of 35 years.

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 in September 2017 off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road in Cantonment. She allegedly stole $34,000 from Wright.

McArthur was free on a $400,000 bond on the murder charge until being remanded into custody Friday. She will face trial on the murder charge later this year.

Comments

8 Responses to “Private Investigator Murder Suspect Convicted Of Racketeering; Held Without Bond”

  1. Justice on January 26th, 2019 3:47 pm

    Pete, she isn’t sentenced to 35 years for the murder. The article clearly states the max sentence for the Racketeering conviction is 35 years and the state plans to seek the maximum. She hasn’t been sentenced for this conviction at all. It also says she will stand trial for murder later this year. Nowhere does it say she received 35 years for the murder.

  2. Nutty Gritty on January 26th, 2019 2:21 pm

    @Pete…… Read again but read slower.

  3. Joy on January 26th, 2019 1:43 pm

    Pete…. reading comprehension. She was tried for fraud related charges not the murder. That will be a separate trial. 35 years for fraud PLUS additional time if she is found guilty of murder

  4. Pete on January 26th, 2019 10:06 am

    So the value of a human life taken is 35 years for the murderer? No justice there…

  5. Good grief on January 26th, 2019 8:21 am

    Oh yes, the love of money. I feel bad for those that love her but not for her.

  6. Whisperjet on January 26th, 2019 7:22 am

    …the “real black widow” , evil through and through..she is where she needs to stay…

  7. Trocarman on January 26th, 2019 7:09 am

    McArthur is now a convicted felon. To prison she goes.

  8. AEB on January 26th, 2019 2:16 am

    Finally she’s in jail. Took long enough.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News