Ashley Morrison, one of the protagonists of the documentary series I Am a Killer on Netflix, is doing time at the William P. Hobby Unit in Falls County, Texas.
Morrison was part of the 2014 murder involving Annie Lois Sims, grandmother to her then-boyfriend Christian Sims, and she is currently serving her sentence given to her after a complex legal tussle.
Although Ashley Morrison was not a direct participant in the killing, she was convicted using the Law of Parties under the Texas law that criminalizes accomplices as much as perpetrators do. Her case was revisited in I Am a Killer Season 5, episode 2, 'Lost Innocence.'
Since her conviction in 2019, Morrison says she regrets not having moved to prevent the killing, a feeling she repeated during interviews for the documentary. While Christian Sims received 35 years, Morrison's was reduced to 30 years after an appeal from retrial.
The 2014 murder involving 'killer' Ashley Morrison
Powderly, a small Texas town, saw the brutal murder of retired teacher Annie Lois Sims in December 2014. Annie was shot several times with a shotgun by her 16-year-old grandson Christian Sims.
Christian's girlfriend at the time was Ashley Morrison, aged 17 then. She played an important role after committing the crime, aiding him in escaping from the crime scene.
The two were caught barely a few hours later in Motel 6 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. According to the US Sun, Morrison and Sims were charged in Lamar County for the crime on October 17, 2024, while their trial demonstrated a tumultuous history culminating in the disaster.
Christian pleaded guilty and received 35 years in prison, while Morrison's case had multiple legal turns. In 2017, she was convicted of murder but her conviction was overturned in the Texarkana appeals court, hence resulting in a retrial.
She pleaded to accept a deal by 2019 and was given 30 years. Morrison's defense argued that even though she did not pull the trigger, she did nothing to stop Sims or the incident and was guilty of the act in its entirety under Texas's Law of Parties.
In People’s coverage, Ashley Morrison admitted,
“I was guilty. And I am guilty. I had a choice. I could have made the choice to try to stop him.”
Ashley Morrison's life today in prison
Ashley Morrison is serving her 30-year term in the William P. Hobby Unit, Texas. While most of what she does day in and day out will forever be locked behind prison walls, I Am a Killer is a rare window into the insides of her mind.
All this happened in an episode where Ashley Morrison finally reached a point of introspection over her role in the crime as she wrung her hands over the impact it would have.
"The loss of our victim's life weighs heavy on me," she said, according to The US Sun.
Morrison's remorse revolves around her having to confess the life-changing decisions she made as a teenager. During her sentencing, Morrison received mixed responses from the victim's family.
One of the greatest shocks was in the words extended by the husband of Annie Lois Sims, where he presented a message of forgiveness and hope, while their daughter Annie Laurie Geer was harsher, portraying a condemnation of Morrison for her role in the crime.
As The US Sun revealed, Mike Sims wished Morrison could find redemption:
"God will give you a new life and will come into your life if you will read His word and pray."
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I Am a Killer Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. It looks into cases such as Ashley Morrison's.
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