A Colorado woman has been convicted in the murder of her boyfriend after authorities say she teamed up with a stranger to kill him because she was upset that he had doubted her chances of getting a job.
Ashley White, 29, was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges in connection with the 2020 death of her boyfriend, 28-year-old Cody DeLisa, Adams County District Attorney Brian Mason announced this week. White was arrested in August 2020 after DeLisa was found shot to death inside their home in Commerce City, CBS Colorado reported at the time.
In the months leading up to the murder, White and DeLisa has a “volatile and strained relationship,” in part because DeLisa had often criticized his girlfriend for being unable to secure a full-time job, according to the district attorney’s office. Authorities say White grew so frustrated with DeLisa that she even tried to drown and burn his cat.
Adams County, Colorado
On Aug. 13, 2020, authorities say White attended a job interview in Denver. On the bus ride home, DeLisa “expressed skepticism about her chances of getting the job, which upset White.”
White met a stranger on the bus who introduced himself as “Scott” and after talking about DeLisa’s alleged abusive behavior, they devised a plan to kill DeLisa, the DA’s office said.
After getting off the bus, authorities say, they walked to the home were White and DeLisa lived. A short time later, DeLisa was shot twice in the head, and his body was discovered the next day.
Authorities did not explicitly identify who pulled the trigger but said the pair practiced firing Scott’s gun before the murder.
White and Scott allegedly stole DeLisa’s wallet after the murder and spent the next few days in the area before Scott left, and White told authorities she never saw him again. White was later identified as a suspect and was arrested and charged.
Three years after the killing, authorities made another breakthrough in the case. In 2023, a woman who identified herself as the girlfriend of Michael Stratton contacted the district attorney’s office and said her boyfriend had confessed to being involved in DeLisa’s killing.
Authorities say her description matched White’s account of the crime. Stratton had been arrested for a separate murder that happened after DeLisa’s death. Authorities said Stratton was deemed incompetent to stand trial in that case, and he has not been charged in connection with DeLisa’s murder.
White’s trial began on Jan. 6, and after about three weeks of testimony, the jury found her guilty 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,” said District Attorney Brian Mason. “Her callous actions led to the victim’s death and now she will pay a significant price.”
White is scheduled for sentencing on April 4.
