Woman conspired with bus rider to kill boyfriend who criticized her for not having a job, DA says

A woman in Colorado was convicted of murdering her boyfriend after being in a "volatile and strained relationship" that involved him frequently criticizing her for not being able to find a full-time job, county officials said.

A three-week trial culminated in Ashley White, 29, being found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and robbery in connection with the 2020 death of her then-boyfriend, 28-year-old Cody DeLisa, in Adams County, District Attorney Brian Mason announced on Jan. 28.

DeLisa's criticism of White's lack of full-time employment went on for months before the murder, and "contributed to tension between the two," according to Mason. Throughout that time, White detailed her resentment in a diary, even writing that she regretted ever meeting DeLisa, the district attorney said.

Questions about White's mental state emerged after an incident in which she tried to drown and burn DeLisa's pet cat out of frustration, Mason said.

What did Ashely White do?

According to the district attorney, White secured and attended a job interview in Denver on Aug. 13, 2020. Since her neighbor drove her to the interview, she returned home on the bus, Mason said. While on the bus, she texted DeLisa about her experience, which led to him expressing skepticism about her actually landing the job, he added.

An upset White then met a man on the bus who introduced himself as "Scott," according to Mason. Scott asked White if she was in a relationship with a man and whether he raped her, to which she alleged that DeLisa had sexually assaulted her, the district attorney said. After hearing White's response, Scott then suggested killing DeLisa, Mason added.

When the two got off the bus some distance from White's home, they spent time together, including firing Scott's gun, according to Mason. They then walked to White's home, where Scott introduced himself to DeLisa as White's brother from Texas, the district attorney said.

A short time after the introduction, DeLisa was shot twice in the head, Mason said. His body was found the next day during a welfare check, according to the DA's office.

White and Scott stole DeLisa's wallet before leaving the home, Mason said. The two then spent the next couple of days in the area before Scott left and White never saw him again, the district attorney added.

“This was a tragic and senseless murder and Ashley White bears significant culpability for it,” Mason said in a news release. “Her callous actions led to the victim’s death and now she will pay a significant price."

What happened to 'Scott' and Ashley White?

Authorities later identified White as a suspect, and when she spoke with investigators, she provided a detailed account of the events that led to DeLisa's murder, the DA's office said. She was subsequently arrested and charged for the killing.

Three years after the shooting, a woman told the DA's office that she was the girlfriend of Michael Stratton, and explained that she believed her boyfriend was involved in DeLisa's homicide, Mason said. Her description of Stratton's confession matched White's account of the crime, he added.

Stratton was deemed incompetent to stand trial in a separate murder case that occurred after DeLisa's homicide and involved the murder of a man in Pueblo, Colorado, according to Mason. When his girlfriend called the DA's office, he was already in custody for the other murder, he added.

Stratton has not been charged in connection with DeLisa's murder in Adams County, the DA's office said. White is scheduled for sentencing before Adams County District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff on April 4.