Daughters Lead Police To Mother’s Dead Body

Ashley Fish was a beloved mother of four, known for her kindness and dedication to her children. On the night of her death, she had been in a troubled relationship with 34-year-old Tyler Durachowski, a man she had been dating after a difficult separation from her husband, John Fish. Ashley’s life had been one of ups and downs, but she had always been committed to providing a better future for her children.

On the evening of the tragedy, the tension in her relationship with Tyler had escalated. According to Tyler, the argument started as a normal disagreement but quickly spiraled out of control. In a moment of aggression, Ashley allegedly grabbed a gun from her drawer and pointed it at Tyler, leading to a violent struggle. Tyler’s story would later claim that the gun went off during the altercation, killing Ashley.

However, as the investigation unfolded, it became clear that Tyler’s version of events didn’t match the physical evidence. The details of that night would reveal a much darker reality—one where Tyler’s self-defense claim began to fall apart.

The Call for Help: A Disturbing Confession

The night of Ashley’s death, Tyler made a chilling 911 call, admitting that he had shot Ashley but presenting it as a self-defense situation. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Ashley’s body, a single bullet wound to her head, and no sign of a struggle that would have suggested a typical self-defense scenario. The police were immediately suspicious.

Tyler’s calm demeanor during the 911 call raised further doubts. He appeared unusually collected for someone who had just shot someone in a violent confrontation. His attempt to paint himself as a victim of an uncontrollable, violent woman did not match the evidence the officers found at the scene.

Despite Tyler’s attempt to present the incident as a tragic accident, investigators soon discovered more details that contradicted his claims. While Tyler maintained he had acted in self-defense, a forensic examination of the crime scene revealed the gun had been pressed directly against Ashley’s skin when fired—suggesting it wasn’t a struggle at all but rather a cold-blooded execution.

The Children: Witnesses to Horror

As police arrived at the scene and began processing the crime, they learned that Ashley’s four children had been in the house at the time of the murder. The oldest, a 10-year-old girl, had witnessed the aftermath of the shooting. She had been the one to call a neighbor for help, knowing something was terribly wrong.

The children, though young, would become critical witnesses in the investigation. They had seen more than any child should ever have to witness, and the trauma they endured would follow them for the rest of their lives.

In the immediate aftermath, Ashley’s ex-husband, John Fish, arrived at the station, devastated by the loss of the mother of his children. He, too, had been a victim of the volatile relationship with Tyler. John had once warned Ashley about Tyler’s temper, and now, tragically, that warning had come too late.

Tyler’s Story: Self-Defense or Murder?

As detectives began their interrogation, Tyler stuck to his story: that the shooting had been an accident. He claimed Ashley had pulled the gun on him and that the situation escalated quickly. According to Tyler, he was simply trying to protect himself when the gun went off.

However, detectives quickly noticed discrepancies in Tyler’s story. He claimed that the gun had gone off in the heat of the moment, yet the physical evidence told a different story. Ashley had been shot at close range, with the gun pressed to her head, and there were no signs of a struggle. If Tyler had truly been fighting for his life, it didn’t add up.

Furthermore, Tyler’s history of instability and violent behavior began to surface. His ex-wife, Ashley’s friends, and even his own family painted a picture of a man who had a temper and a history of abusive behavior. Tyler had been arrested before for violent outbursts, and there were allegations that he had been emotionally and physically abusive toward Ashley in the past.

The Emotional Toll on the Children

The most heartbreaking aspect of the case was the effect it had on Ashley’s children. They were too young to fully understand what had happened, but they knew enough to be terrified. The oldest daughter, who had witnessed the immediate aftermath of the murder, was deeply affected by what she had seen. She later revealed that she had heard Tyler threaten Ashley in the past, a chilling sign of the violence that was brewing beneath the surface.

In the days following the murder, the children were placed in the care of Ashley’s parents, who were devastated by the loss of their daughter and the trauma inflicted upon their grandchildren. The impact on the children was immediate and profound. The youngest, still too young to fully comprehend what had happened, continued to ask for their mother, not understanding why she wasn’t there to comfort them.

Tyler’s Arrest and the Growing Investigation

Tyler’s story of self-defense fell apart as detectives uncovered more evidence. They discovered that he had been using anabolic steroids, which could explain some of his erratic behavior. But this was not the only thing that worked against him. Tyler had been caught lying repeatedly, and his actions on the night of the murder—leaving the scene and hiding from the police—were hardly the actions of a man trying to protect himself.

As Tyler’s story unraveled, the investigation into his past and the details of his relationship with Ashley became more and more telling. Witnesses came forward, revealing the true nature of their volatile relationship. His own family confirmed that he had a history of anger issues, and his neighbors reported frequent arguments and outbursts.

Tyler was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and four counts of child abandonment. He was held without bail, awaiting trial for the murder of Ashley Fish.

A Broken Family and a Fight for Justice

The case against Tyler would go to trial, and the emotional toll on Ashley’s family was felt throughout the legal proceedings. Ashley’s ex-husband, John, stood as a symbol of strength for their children, working to provide them with a sense of stability and safety after such a traumatic event. The pain of losing Ashley was unbearable, but John was determined to make sure that Tyler would never harm anyone again.

The trial was a long and painful process, with Tyler maintaining his innocence and claiming that he had acted in self-defense. But the evidence against him was overwhelming. His violent tendencies, the lack of a struggle, and the forensic evidence pointed to one conclusion: this was no accident. This was a cold-blooded murder.

A Guilty Verdict and a Future Shaped by Tragedy

In the end, Tyler was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The jury saw through his claims of self-defense, understanding that the true motive behind the killing was not survival but anger, control, and resentment.

For Ashley’s family, the conviction was bittersweet. Justice had been served, but the pain of losing Ashley, and the trauma experienced by her children, would never go away. The children, though young, would carry the scars of that night for the rest of their lives.

Charlie Otero, another victim of BTK, had his own troubled history with loss and rage. But he found solace in the fact that, after all these years, justice could still prevail. For the children of Ashley Fish, they would never have the chance to grow up with their mother’s love, but they could find healing through the support of their family, and through the knowledge that their mother’s death was not in vain.