Trial Begins For Private Investigator Murder Suspect

August 28, 2019

Tuesday was the first full day of testimony in the case of a former crime scene investigator accused of murdering a woman for money and burying her body in Cantonment.

Ashley McArthur is charged with shooting and killing private investigator and former police officer Taylor Wright over $34,000. Earlier this year, she was sentenced to seven years in state prison for racketeering and organized fraud in an unrelated case.

On September 14, 2017, Wright’s girlfriend reported that she was missing. The girlfriend gave a sworn statement to Pensacola Police that Wright had not been seen or heard from since September 8. Prior to her disappearance, Wright had told her girlfriend that she had placed a large amount of money in a safe deposit box that belonged to McArthur, her friend. Wright said she had tried to get her money back from McArthur several times with no success. Wright was trying to get the money back from McArthur for court proceedings related to Wright’s pending divorce.

On September 8, Wright and McArthur met so Wright could get her money. Wright and the girlfriend communicated back and forth via text until about 11:20 a.m. When the girlfriend did not hear back from Wright after numerous texts, she called McArthur. McArthur answered and said Wright could not come to the phone because she was riding a horse.

The girlfriend continued to try to communicate with Wright with no success until 7:58 p.m. when she received a text from Wright’s phone stating that she needed time to think and get her life on track.

On September 18, McArthur met with a Pensacola Police detective. She told the detective that she had picked Wright up on the morning of September 8 and they drove to various locations during the day before going to McArthur’s family property in East Milton to ride horses. She said they were there for about an hour before heading back to McArthur’s residence in the Pensacola city limits about 4:45 p.m. McArthur claimed that she went inside her house, and when came back out shortly, Wright was gone.

During the investigation, McArthur’s bank records and cell phone records were obtained. Bank records show that on August 16, McArthur deposited a cashier’s check in Wright’s name for the amount of $34,000 into McArthur’s personal checking account. The money has since been spent.

On September 14, Wright’s girlfriend reported that she was missing. The girlfriend gave a sworn statement to Pensacola Police that Wright had not been seen or heard from since September 8. Prior to her disappearance, Wright had told her girlfriend that she had placed a large amount of money in a safe deposit box that belonged to McArthur, her friend. Wright said she had tried to get her money back from McArthur several times with no success. Wright was trying to get the money back from McArthur for court proceedings related to Wright’s pending divorce.

On September 8, Wright and McArthur met so Wright could get her money. Wright and the girlfriend communicated back and forth via text until about 11:20 a.m. When the girlfriend did not hear back from Wright after numerous texts, she called McArthur. McArthur answered and said Wright could not come to the phone because she was riding a horse.

The girlfriend continued to try to communicate with Wright with no success until 7:58 p.m. when she received a text from Wright’s phone stating that she needed time to think and get her life on track.

On September 18, McArthur met with a Pensacola Police detective. She told the detective that she had picked Wright up on the morning of September 8 and they drove to various locations during the day before going to McArthur’s family property in East Milton to ride horses. She said they were there for about an hour before heading back to McArthur’s residence in the Pensacola city limits about 4:45 p.m. McArthur claimed that she went inside her house, and when came back out shortly, Wright was gone.

During the investigation, McArthur’s bank records and cell phone records were obtained. Bank records show that on August 16, McArthur deposited a cashier’s check in Wright’s name for the amount of $34,000 into McArthur’s personal checking account. They money has since been spent.

McArthur’s phone records never showed her in the area of the family property in East Milton, instead her phone showed her in the area of Beulah on September 8 from 11:52 a.m. until 1:44 p.m. and again from 2:40 p.m. until 3:33 p.m. Police discovered that McArthur’s family has property at 2201 Britt Road, in the same area as her phone indicated.

Pictured top: Taylor Wright. Pictured mugshot, inset: Ashley McArthur.

Comments

7 Responses to “Trial Begins For Private Investigator Murder Suspect”

  1. Bewildered on August 30th, 2019 9:02 am

    Something was strange about this case from the beginning. Her family must have connections in high places.

  2. Lou on August 29th, 2019 8:50 pm

    I’ll be watching to see if Justice is real. If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck…

  3. Do what? on August 29th, 2019 12:29 am

    @williwonka, wth does this MURDER have to do with lack of leadership? The sheriffs department didn’t kill the girl…….a murderer did who happened to be a former employee. Your obvious bias against local leo’s shows here. Hope you need them some day soon………….

  4. Williwonka on August 28th, 2019 3:37 pm

    One evidence tech already CONVICTED of stealing narcotics from evidence room. She did not get jail time. Now a 2nd evidence tech on trial for murder. It appears the Sheriffs Office in dire need of leadership. Sheriff and Chief Deputy for starters.

  5. A on August 28th, 2019 1:46 pm

    a former crime scene investigator. I hope previous people’s cases are genuine in the evidence department when she was in charge. hmmmm

  6. Williwonka on August 28th, 2019 12:58 pm

    I agree with Mike. McArthur should receive the death penalty.

  7. mike on August 28th, 2019 3:35 am

    death penalty

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News