March 11, 2016 at 11:18 a.m.
Martinson pleads guilty to 2015 double homicide
18-year-old admits to two counts second degree intentional homicide
Martinson pleads guilty to 2015 double homicide
The Rhinelander teenager charged with the shooting death of her stepfather and stabbing death of her mother changed her plea Friday morning to guilty on two admended charges of second degree intentional homicide.
Ashlee Martinson, who turned 18 March 6, had previously entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and three counts of false imprisonment.
Martinson was accused of killing her stepfather, Thomas Ayers, and her mother, Jennifer Ayers, in their town of Piehl home March 7, 2015. The false imprisonment charges stemmed from allegations she locked her three young siblings in a bedroom before fleeing the state with her 22-year-old boyfriend, Ryan Sisco. The pair were apprehended on an interstate highway in Boone County, Indiana, north of Indianapolis, the next day following a nationwide manhunt.
The change in plea comes after Martinson was examined twice for psychological evaluation. Friday's hearing was originally scheduled to receive the second evaluation. It was changed Friday morning by the District Attorney's office.
She faces a day-long sentencing hearing June 17 before judge Michael Bloom. She has been held in the Oneida County Jail on a $750,000 cash bond.
According to a plea agreement and waiver of rights form, district attorney Michael Schiek will argue for two 20-year prison sentences followed by 20 years extended supervision, meaning she would serve 40 years in prison before being released to parole. Her attorneys will be free to argue for less prison time.
By coupling her not guilty plea with a not guilty by mental disease or defect claim, Martinson's attorneys Thomas Wilmouth and Amy Lynn Ferguson had raised questions as to the teen's state of mind at the time she committed the murders as well as her ability to assist in her own defense.
Bloom ordered a psychological evaluation, which was assigned to Dr. Brad Smith of Madison, following Martinson's arraignment June 29.
Smith's report was originally due by Sept. 21, and Bloom was supposed to make a ruling on Martinson's competency Sept. 28, but due to the volume of information submitted by all parties the doctor asked for more time to complete his assessment. Bloom granted that request at a hearing Sept. 28, and a hearing was eventually held Dec. 11.
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Without discussing the content of the report, Ferguson requested 75 days so the defense could have an independent evaluation done on Martinson. Bloom granted that request, along with sealing the report of the first evaluation.
Wilmouth and Ferguson attached a 26-page document to their plea questionaire and waiver of rights form outlining detailed mental abuse of Martinson since she was young, at the hands of her stepfather. The document was made part of the public record and copies were provided to the media in the courtroom.
Further details from the documents filed Friday will be included in a story in Tuesday's edition of The Northwoods River News.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at [email protected].
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