Ashley Bush eagerly anticipated the arrival of her fourth child, a baby girl named Valkyrie Grace Willis. At 33 years old, Ashley, along with her fiancé Joshua Willis, had been preparing for the new addition to their family in Arkansas, where their three other children, aged eight, seven, and two, were also excited.
During her pregnancy in October 2022, Ashley faced challenges due to gestational hypertension, leading to high blood pressure. Despite these difficulties, Ashley remained optimistic about the baby’s well-being as she approached 31 weeks. Concerns about the financial strain of expanding their family weighed on Ashley, especially since she was the primary breadwinner.
In search of secondhand baby clothes, Ashley turned to Facebook and connected with a woman named Lucy Barrows. Lucy not only offered baby items but also presented Ashley with a work-from-home job opportunity at a company outside Arkansas, which piqued Ashley’s interest.
Viewing this as a promising opportunity to support her family, Ashley met Lucy at a local library in Gravette, Arkansas, on October 28. Following the meeting, Ashley informed Joshua that she had a positive discussion and was invited to meet the supervisor for further discussions, seeing it as a potential solution to her financial concerns while being available for her children.
On Halloween, with Ashley at 33 weeks pregnant, Joshua dropped her off at a convenience store in Maysville. Unbeknownst to him, Lucy was behind the wheel when Ashley got into the truck, leading Joshua to believe everything was normal. However, when Ashley texted Joshua at 3 pm indicating her return to the store, she never showed up. Concerned, Joshua reported her missing later that day.
Simultaneously, a 911 call in Pineville, Missouri, reported a baby in distress. Responding officers found Amber Waterman holding a baby she claimed to have delivered on the way to the hospital. Tragically, despite efforts to revive the baby, they were unsuccessful, prompting the Watermans to plan the infant’s funeral.
Back in Arkansas, a search ensued for the missing Ashley. Authorities utilized missing posters and social media to gather information. Joshua shared details about Lucy with the police, leading them to investigate the communication between Lucy and Ashley.
Suspicion escalated when the Watermans were due to bury their deceased baby, and Amber’s persistent inquiries about DNA testing raised doubts. Further investigation revealed blood in Waterman’s truck, matching the description of the vehicle Ashley was last seen entering. Subsequent revelations identified Waterman as Lucy and exposed the grim truth that the baby she claimed was hers actually belonged to Ashley.
Waterman and her husband were apprehended, and the grim reality of Ashley’s fate emerged. Waterman initially concocted a story involving a fictional abductor named Lucy, but her husband eventually confessed to their involvement in Ashley’s murder. Subsequently, investigators discovered charred human remains on a nearby property, shedding light on the gruesome events that transpired.
Ashley had been abducted, shot, and fatally wounded by Waterman, who then forcibly extracted the baby. Waterman attempted to pass off the baby as her own, even resorting to placing Ashley’s placenta in her own trousers before contacting emergency services. The Watermans’ subsequent actions, including attempts to conceal the crime, were uncovered, leading to their arrest and charges.
In a shocking turn of events, Waterman confessed to the crimes and received two life sentences without parole. Her husband, Jamie Waterman, also pleaded guilty as an accessory and faced up to 15 years in prison. Joshua expressed his devastation over the loss of Ashley and Valkyrie, condemning the heinous acts committed against his family.
The legal proceedings culminated in Waterman’s sentencing and Jamie’s acknowledgment of his role in the cover-up, underscoring the tragic consequences of their actions. Ashley’s grieving family denounced Waterman as a “black soul” and prayed for justice to prevail.