On February 9th, 1999 Thornton Academy Sophomore, Ashley Ouellette went to spend the night with friends less than a mile from her home in Saco. At 10:30 pm Ashley called her parents to say goodnight. It was the last time they would talk to her. At some point after the call, Ashley decides to leave the home of her friends and goes to the home of Daniel and Steven Sanborn on Mast Hill Rd. She had previously had a relationship with the older brother Steven. She arrives at their home around midnight. Muriel and Earl Sanborn, the parents of the boys, are home. They allow Ashley to spend the night. They later claim Ashley told them she was kicked out of her home and needed a place to stay. She makes the couch up for Ashley at 12:30am. She claims this is the last time she sees Ashley.
At 4am a motorist on Pines Point Rd. sees a body on the road, he slows and stops. The motorist calls 911. The body is still warm. There is blood around the mouth and the body is black and blue. The body is of 15 yr old Ashley Ouellete. Ashley had been strangled.
Police start investigating and quickly pinpoint Ashley’s last known location was 50 Mast Hill Rd. They interview the four Sanborns. 16 yr old Daniel Sanborn’s story was inconsistent. The police issue search warrants for the Sanborn home and impound Daniel’s car, an Eagle Summit. In the home they find a trail of blood droplets leading from the kitchen to the living room. They seize evidence of sexual activity and a condom. Bedding, including a pillow case with a stain as well as carpet and upholstery samples are taken. They also remove jewelry and a purple cord. They take hair and tissue samples from Daniel and fingernail clippings. From his car they seize a gold ring, a black shirt, a scarf. They also take fingernail particles and hair samples. There is also brown grass that is the same as the brown grass found on Ashley’s body.
You would think that this would be a slam dunk case or that at least an arrest would be imminent but there are no arrests. Police claim they have a pretty good idea of what happened and retired Sgt. Matt Stewart who was the lead investigator on the case said that “They were unable to place Ashley alive outside of the Sanborn home.” but unfortunately police felt they were just shy of being able to prove what happened beyond a reasonable doubt. The police had a body, they had evidence but what was the motive? Without a confession or a statement from one of the four people in the home that night the case goes unsolved.
The Ouellettes, Bob and Lise, file a wrongful death suit against the Sanborns. They claim they had a reasonable responsibility to protect Ashley from injury. They feel that Daniel injured Ashley in a way that ultimately caused her death. The Sanborns claim that because Ashley was kicked out of her home and needed a place to stay that she was responsible for herself. She was only 15. Before the case could be settled the Sanborns filed for bankruptcy which halted the court proceedings. On May 26th, 2001 Bob Ouellette was reunited with Ashley. He was only 49. He died from a heart attack. He never got to see Ashley’s killer brought to justice.
Daniel Sanborn
has since been no stranger to police or the law. He has been in and out
of prison and jail for charges ranging from drugs, theft, and even
weapons charges but he has never been charged with anything regarding
Ashley. He has been able to carry on with his life. Lise Ouellette wants
to make sure that when he is charged with the death of her daughter
that the charges are solid, beyond a reasonable doubt. She knows he
cannot be tried again. So she patiently waits for someone to come
forward that may have information that can help police with the last
piece of the puzzle they need.
What could have happened that night that would end in Ashley being murdered and the whole thing being covered up? Was it an accident? Erotic Asphyxia or something more sinister? Strangulation is a very personal way to kill someone, it also takes a lot of strength. Most often death by strangulation happens in crimes of passion and strangulation is most commonly seen in victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking.
There is talk around town that there was one person who may have had some answers but unfortunately he went missing only a few months after Ashley was murdered and has not been seen or heard from since. Angel Antonio Torres, Tony to his friends, was last seen on 5/21/99 at 2 am in Biddeford. His friends claims they dropped him off and he was looking for a ride to North Conway, N.H.. When he didn’t show up for work on 5/24/99 his parents called police and reported him missing.
Tony’s father, Narciso Torres said his son’s disappearance may be connected to individuals in the Saco, ME area. He said a group of unidentified people involved in criminal activity, who were not friends with his son, frequented the same parties and may know something.
“I think Tony knew them through other people. Tony may have been aware of crimes these people committed,” he said, possibly including the unsolved murder of a Maine teenager earlier that year.
“He was murdered and disposed of, but it’s not going to be solved unless someone comes forward,” he said.
A Maine State Police spokesman said he has no evidence the two cases are connected.
Could a family be so cold and evil that not only would they kill and cover up the death of a beautiful young girl with a whole life full of potential ahead of her but also kill and dispose of someone who may have figured out the truth? Regarding the disappearance of Ayla Reynolds, many have been shocked that the three adults in the house that night were able to keep a secret so huge but to have a family of four to possibly commit and cover up not one but two murders and keep it a secret for 15 years? It doesn’t seem likely. Someone, somewhere knows what happened to Ashley and possibly to Angel Torres. It is the time to come forward, this has gone on long enough.
If you have ANY information regarding either Ashley Ouellette or Angel “Tony” Torres please call the anonymous tip line 207-620-8009.
Sources:
http://archive.bangordailynews.com/2001/03/15/couple-deny-responsibility-in-1999-death-of-teen/
The two brothers is the one that killed them both, is it possible two person missing and u where the last to see them alive come on man be real here people.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened nobody knows
ReplyDeleteI officer Brendan Benevento's am helping to look 4 the thief that tuck that innocent girls life Brendan Benvento's of the maine York conty SWAT team AND Rochell of the same Swat team
ReplyDeleteI bust the bad and protect the innocent it is hard work but I don't joke around I am serious about my work at day I am a loew's Employee at night I am a swat team officer
ReplyDeletemy born day is 11-04-1996 and I don't work on my birthday only after like 5th 6th 7th-9th and& so on
ReplyDelete