A Colorado woman has been convicted of murdering her boyfriend, who authorities have said did so because she was upset about him not believing she could get a job.
Adams County District Attorney Brian Mason shared this week that 29-year-old Ashley White was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges that stemmed from the 2020 death of her boyfriend Cody DeLisa, who was 28 at the time.
The conviction comes nearly four and a half years after White was arrested in August 2020 after DeLisa was found shot to death inside their home in Commerce City, Colorado.
The district attorney’s office shared that for months before his death, the couple would have arguments about White’s ability to secure a full-time job, leading to their relationship becoming “volatile and strained.”
The situation grew so tense that at one point, authorities say White tried to drown and burn DeLisa’s cat.
However, on Aug. 13, 2020, authorities say White attended a job interview in Denver, but on the ride back, her boyfriend “expressed skepticism about her chances of getting the job, which upset White.”
White then met a stranger who introduced himself as “Scott.” She shared with Scott what was going on with her and DeLisa and together devised a plan to kill him, the office shared.
The pair got off the bus and walked to the home where White and DeLisa lived, and a short time later, DeLisa was shot twice in the head. His body was discovered the next day.
It has not been discovered who pulled the trigger, but authorities say White and Scott practiced firing the gun before the murder. The pair also stole DeLisa’s wallet, spending some time together in the area before never seeing each other again. White was arrested and charged shortly after the murder.
Scott was eventually identified in 2023 when a woman who said she was the girlfriend of Michael Stratton contacted the district attorney’s office and said her boyfriend confessed to killing DeLisa.
The description of the killing matched White’s account, and Stratton had previously been arrested for a separate murder that happened after DeLisa’s. However, Stratton was deemed incompetent to stand trial in that case and was not charged in connection to the murder of DeLisa.
The trial of White began on Jan. 6 and lasted three weeks. She was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and robbery.
“This was a tragic and senseless murder, and Ashley White bears significant culpability for it,” District Attorney Mason said. “Her callous actions led to the victim’s death, and now she will pay a significant price.”
White’s sentencing is scheduled for April.