Ashley White, a 29-year-old Colorado woman, was convicted of second-degree murder for the killing of her boyfriend, Cody DeLisa. Prosecutors revealed that White conspired with a stranger she had met just moments before on a bus to carry out the murder. The case bore a chilling resemblance to an Alfred Hitchcock plot, as White sought revenge on DeLisa for doubting her job prospects. In addition to the murder charge, she was also convicted of conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and robbery.
The Fatal Plan Unfolds
On August 13, 2020, White returned home from a job interview in Denver and messaged DeLisa about it. Instead of encouragement, he expressed skepticism about her chances of securing the job, which angered her. While still on the bus, she met a man who introduced himself as “Scott.” During their conversation, Scott asked about her relationship and whether DeLisa had assaulted her. White allegedly claimed he had, prompting Scott to suggest they kill him.
Upon arriving at her home, White introduced Scott to DeLisa as her brother from Texas. Shortly afterward, DeLisa was shot twice in the head. His body was discovered the following day during a welfare check. Investigators later found that White had written diary entries expressing deep resentment toward DeLisa. Disturbingly, she had also attempted to kill DeLisa’s cat before fleeing the scene with Scott, taking DeLisa’s wallet with them.
Identifying the Mysterious Stranger
Three years after the murder, a woman contacted prosecutors, claiming her boyfriend, Michael Stratton, had confessed to being the man who helped White kill DeLisa. Stratton’s account of the crime closely matched White’s version. However, Stratton was already in custody for an unrelated murder and was deemed unfit for trial, preventing him from being charged in DeLisa’s killing. Despite this, authorities held White primarily responsible for the crime.
Ashley White is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4. District Attorney Brian Mason condemned the murder as a “tragic and senseless” crime, emphasizing White’s significant culpability. The case drew comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, although it differed in execution. Unlike Hitchcock’s story, where two strangers traded murders to avoid suspicion, White and her accomplice carried out the killing together. Now, she faces severe legal consequences for her actions.