A Missouri man has been found guilty of shooting and killing his wife because he learned she packed luggage for her and their kids to leave after a fight.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced in a press release on Thursday, May 21, that Ryan Alexander was found guilty by a Henry County jury of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection to the death of his wife, Ashton Schouten, nearly four years after she was fatally shot.
The tragic incident took place on August 27, 2022, when the couple got into an argument at their home. The pair “had a difficult relationship due to the defendant’s controlling nature and belief that Ashton was engaging in extramarital affairs,” according to the attorney general.
Alexander, 30, left their home when the fight was seemingly over and went to a liquor store to buy beer before he returned to the residence “a short time later.” As he arrived at the home, he “found that Ashton had packed and placed luggage for herself and their one-year-old twin boys near the front door.”
He then took out his handgun and shot Schouten, 28, one time in the head, according to the attorney general. Schouten fell to the floor, but Alexander continued shooting when he stood over her and “unloaded the remainder of the magazine into her head.”
Alexander then called 911 and claimed he shot Schouten in self-defense.
“Today’s guilty verdict reflects the tireless work of our attorneys and team,” Hanaway said in a statement about the conviction, per the press release. “My office remains steadfast in our commitment to accountability and public safety. We will continue to put violent criminals behind bars and keep Missouri communities safe.”
Henry County Prosecuting Attorney LaChrisha Gray added that the jury spent only a “short” time deliberating before they found Alexander guilty.
“My office is proud to have the assistance of the Attorney General’s Office. Together, we secured this conviction and obtained justice for Ashton Alexander, her children, and the community,” Gray continued. “We are grateful to the jury for its careful consideration of the evidence, and all the law enforcement officers who worked on this case.”
Alexander has not yet been sentenced, and authorities said a sentencing hearing “will be scheduled at a later date.”
Schouten “worked as a physical therapist since the age of 16,” was “certified in the Rewalk Program” and she “obtained an International School of Bartending of Kansas City Certification,” according to her obituary.
The obituary also shared that she “had an intense love of animals.”
Schouten is survived by her twin sons, her parents and seven siblings.
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