Found Deceased AR - Ashley Bush, 33, *31 wks pregnant, met woman online for job interview*, Maysville, 31 October 2022

[chipwhitley]

Which interview? The one at the library on the 28th or the recent one where she disappeared?

The one where she disappeared

 

[legalmomma]

No CCTV footage of her being dropped off and getting into Lucy's car?

I don’t think we will see Ring cams around the Handi-Stop Maysville Handi-Stop Inc

The Google link shows the surrounding trailers and the Handi-Stop. I’m thinking maybe no residential cams but feel perhaps LE has already ruled out certain statements made concerning the meet up by viewing any CCTV the mart may have. MOO

 

[bestill]

The one where she disappeared

Not that I've read.

 

[Ontario Mom]

In every scenario I've tried to imagine, I can't fit "Lucy" driving Ashley back to the meeting spot and being seen again by the fiance.

Here's one:

Brown haired age mid 40-ish Lucy with the tan truck, woke up one day and decided to be the dumbest kidnapper ever.
So, she created this elaborate scam about working from home, etc., and on the day of the kidnapping lost all her nerve until the very last minute. Then, after seeing the fiance of her kidnapping victim, she found courage again and sped away.

Even as I was typing that ridiculous scenario, has it been mentioned if, when fiance saw AB in the truck that afternoon, if she screamed for help, or made any kind of gesture or expression that she needed any help?

 

[SpicyFruit]

I'm starting to lean that way too because if there was a legit kidnapping of a pregnant woman, LE would be getting descriptions of person and vehicle out ASAP.

I also just said read that preterm babies born at 31 weeks have a survival rate of 90-95%, but I'm unsure if that number is based on hospitalization and medical access to a specialized nursery.

This would most likely require the baby to stay in the NICU.

According to court records, her ex husband is the bio dad of her two older kids. He has custody of those two kids. I think she got pregnant while going through the divorce, and her fiancé is the bio dad to that child. Here's a link to the court case info, hopefully the link doesn't time out. If it does, you can find the info by searching her name. Imo it seems like there may have been past custody issues. She accused her ex husband of being inappropriate towards the kids and she filed for emergency custody. But then the judge gave the ex husband full custody, so idk what the story is on that

Case Search • Arkansas Judiciary

caseinfo.arcourts.gov

After reading the court papers... I am curious if the ex has been ruled out?

 

[CTPDMom]

The longer it goes with no update from LE isn't helping the public find her. JMO

LE might not need public input at this point. They may already have the information that they need.

I think musicaljoke may have the right idea here.

It seems like we’re looking at two totally different crimes here which may be why the case is so darn weird.

Is this a job scam? The details fit. Or is it a fetal abduction? That seems to fit too.

But when you inspect both more closely neither makes much sense. Job scams entail the victim giving money to the scammer. There’s no mention of Lucy doing anything more than scheduling two interviews.

And fetal abduction is possible but why would the kidnapper put themself at risk by setting up an abduction over 4 or 5 days? And purposely driving past the fiancé and even making eye contact with him? That’s quite a trail.

I’m at a loss; two scams, one theft and one a violent crime running simultaneously? Very odd. MOO

I think it's choice C, neither of the above.

 

[MntnHiker]

Yeah the lack of a police sketch of Lucy is really suspicious/odd to me. The fiance said he met with her too at the library, I'm assuming for a good chunk of time, so he should be able to give a great description of her being that close to her for awhile. This is very strange IMO.

 

[MassGuy]

This article says the FBI is now involved. I imagine they're analyzing the digital trail here.

What is known is that authorities are searching the borders of Oklahoma and Missouri with what they say is a special interest in the southern part of Missouri.

The FBI now confirms that it is working jointly with the Benton County Sheriff's Office in the search for Bush. Connor Hagan with the Arkansas FBI hopes to release more information soon.

FBI now helping in search for missing pregnant woman in Benton County

The Benton County Sheriff's Office has announced they will be holding a press conference regarding new information on the disappearance of Ashley Bush.

www.5newsonline.com

 

[heuristicsdepartment]

FBI now helping in search for missing pregnant woman in Benton County

What is known is that authorities are searching the borders of Oklahoma and Missouri with what they say is a special interest in the southern part of Missouri.
The FBI now confirms that it is working jointly with the Benton County Sheriff's Office in the search for Bush. Connor Hagan with the Arkansas FBI hopes to release more information soon.

 

[hatt3nca]

Well, just for example, I have a 2004 VW Golf. It's a GLS 2.0L. In that year, you also have a GL, GL 2.0L, GL TDI, GLS TDI. The body style changed somewhat from the 2003 version, and during the 4-year window they made my Golf there were different paint colors available from the preceding and succeeding years. I love my VWs, but would be hard-pressed to tell which exact model I'm viewing, especially if it's in motion, but if I see the hood and ugly purply-blue color that was available during those years, I know it's likely a 2004-2008. I don't think if I saw you fly by me at 95 mph that I would be confident enough to say that you're definitely driving a 2006, but I would feel safe saying you're in a Golf produced in that 4-year range.

Just MOO based on my own experience.

You are speaking my hubby's love language. I tried to read this multiple times and couldn't make heads or tails of it. I just know I want rainbow LEDs on the bottom of my minivan (affectionately referred to as the BIGGIE van by my son...gee, thanks...) and my husband ain't done it

 

[hblunt]

In every scenario I've tried to imagine, I can't fit "Lucy" driving Ashley back to the meeting spot and being seen again by the fiance.

I’m also confused about “Lucy” driving back to the meeting spot with Ashley and seeing the fiance, only to drive off with her.

The only scenario I could come up with is if “Lucy” thought she would beat the fiance to the meeting spot. Then, through cellphone pings, she could claim that she dropped Ashley off at the meeting spot, but this plan was ruined when she arrived to the meeting spot and the fiance was already there. Of course, this plan is dependent upon the surveillance camera situation at and around the meeting spot, which “Lucy” may have been familiar with.

MOO.

 

[cutter99]

This would most likely require the baby to stay in the NICU.


After reading the court papers... I am curious if the ex has been ruled out?

I don’t think the ex has anything to do with this.

The fact the FBI is involved says a lot, although this is an area where it is almost impossible to not cross state lines.

I think someone is attempting to pull a scam that was way above their level, nor the first scam they have pulled, along the lines of Sherry Papini.

 

[Centaurus]

“I hollered at her because her windows cracked so I know she heard me this ‘Lucy’ lady looks over at me, looks back straight ahead at the windshield and drives off,” Willis said.

UPDATE: FBI joins search for missing Benton County pregnant woman

The search for 33-year-old Ashley Bush expanded Wednesday into Southern Missouri.

www.nwahomepage.com

 

[modesty blaise]

Poor lady I hope she and the baby did not come to harm.
I'm still on the first few pages, but somehow the most obvious thing which we have unfortunately covered on web sleuths more than once is not jumping out at me yet.

 

[shushu]

I imagine the library would have some form of video capture that would be valuable to investigators.

 

[hatt3nca]

I’m also confused about “Lucy” driving back to the meeting spot with Ashley and seeing the fiance, only to drive off with her.

The only scenario I could come up with is if “Lucy” thought she would beat the fiance to the meeting spot. Then, through cellphone pings, she could claim that she dropped Ashley off at the meeting spot, but this plan was ruined when she arrived to the meeting spot and the fiance was already there. Of course, this plan is dependent upon the surveillance camera situation at and around the meeting spot, which “Lucy” may have been familiar with.

MOO.

I wonder if Lucy noticed somehow that their friendship (is that even what you would call it..?) was not going to continue. I could see a plan where a pregnant women is befriended this far ahead of the due date so 1) you know pertinent details about the pregnancy 2) you are one of the friends called when she does give birth and 3) you don't cause fear or alarm if you come to 'visit the baby'

But if Lucy noticed something felt off with Ashley and feared she would not be able to maintain a friendship with her, she might take desperate measures to make sure that the end goal is still achievable.

All JMOO of course. This is the only scenario I've thought of so far where I could see Lucy being real, taking Ashley back to the gas station/mart, and just driving past the fiance.

 

[MissMalowe]

It seems like we’re looking at two totally different crimes here which may be why the case is so darn weird.

Is this a job scam? The details fit. Or is it a fetal abduction? That seems to fit too.

But when you inspect both more closely neither makes much sense. Job scams entail the victim giving money to the scammer. There’s no mention of Lucy doing anything more than scheduling two interviews.

And fetal abduction is possible but why would the kidnapper put themself at risk by setting up an abduction over 4 or 5 days? And purposely driving past the fiancé and even making eye contact with him? That’s quite a trail.

I’m at a loss; two scams, one theft and one a violent crime running simultaneously? Very odd. MOO

Agree. If the purpose was fetal abduction (or sale, as Fiance said he thinks Lucy offered Ashley money for the baby and Ashley turned her down) It doesn't make sense to lure potential victims via a work from home scam. A work from home scam, even if posted in mom groups, is going to bring in possible interest from moms of older children, moms beyond child-bearing age, and even men (husband/boyfriends/friends of women in the mom group) That seems like A LOT of unnecessary sifting in an attempt to find a woman who is both pregnant AND looking for new employment. It would make more sense for the scam to be infant/baby/pregnancy based such as posing as a babysitter or Daycare Provider for infants under 6 weeks of age, selling baby clothes, nursery furniture or other baby items on FB marketplace or Craigslist, or posing as a sonographer from a non-existant 3D baby ultrasound place, prenatal massage therapist etc. Those types of scams wouldn't cast such a wide net, it would appeal specifically to pregnant women and moms of infants.

Lucy is not a clever scammer. (Just one example of many)

 

[EmmieA]

UPDATE: FBI joins search for missing Benton County pregnant woman

The search for 33-year-old Ashley Bush expanded Wednesday into Southern Missouri.

www.nwahomepage.com

Willis said he saw “Lucy” and Bush drive past the gas station.

“I hollered at her because her windows cracked so I know she heard me this ‘Lucy’ lady looks over at me, looks back straight ahead at the windshield and drives off,” Willis said.

I feel like this scenario would only be possible if Lucy were driving somewhat slow. And why would she be driving slow if she were in the middle of an abduction?

MOO

 

[Allabouttrial]

I hope now the FBI is involved they hold a press conference.

 

[shefner]

Well this kidnapper is either dumb or brazen.

The kidnapper drove the victim back to the meet-up location, drove past it while staring at the victim's fiancé in the face, allowing him a better view of her identity and giving everyone around a second look at her vehicle and, potentially, her tag number. While driving past, and looking people in the eye, she also wrestled an upset pregnant woman and confiscated her phone, tossing it out the window into a ditch (an action which could have been done earlier in the day, while she took the victim far, far from the original pick-up location, making her getaway much safer).

What the heck is going on....