DC - Ashley Turton, 37, lobbyist, found dead in burning car, 10 Jan 2011

[tiredblondy]

I don't buy the spontaneous combustion theory at all for several reasons. First is that while a car may burn, it does not blow up like the movies. And a neighbor clearly heard an explosion, something I would not expect from a car burning at the front say from a gas leak or oil fire. Another reason is if it was a fire, how come no attempt was made to get out either by going in reverse or opening the door and leave?

Whatever the cause is claimed, it needs to address the explosion cause, why she didn't just open the door and leave or back out. If facing a wall of fire care for a side mirror is not going to stop you.

I even question, was she awake? Could be she was put in the car unconscious and that is why no escape attempt? Air bags never went off.

Another question is if it was murder, was she the intended target? Could be her husband was the target; they got the wrong person. Which means it might be related to John Wheelers demise, perhaps a psycho or revenge plot to a related party. Do they swap vehicles like my wife and I?

But I would not overlook the husband. Say she wanted a divorce. The home would be hers with the kids and big merger bonus...insurance...motive exists.

Then maybe she knew too much about something or told someone some dark secret.

We need more to go on. But I doubt this was an accident.

Or because apparently as was cited in the article Fran linked to she liked to gossip and someone was afraid she would tell ...

 

[Missizzy]

The more I read, the more I strongly believe that the vehicle make and model had absolutely NOTHING to do with this strange and sad death.

Step back and look at all the facts. Something does not add up, IMO.

 

[Txmom]

Ok, have some comments to make. Im afraid of the dark. There is NO WAY possible that I would leave my home, at 5am in the dark, without a husband/male going with me to the car. Im sure some of you are not afraid of the dark, but I cant imagine anyone living in an area that is "not the safest" leaving at 5am, getting to the garage that is not attached to the house, by themselves. I would also have to have all lights on, would look like christmas everytime I went to that dark garage.

And, husband has car semi blocking the drive. Why?? He knows that she is leaving, why risk the possiblility of the car getting hit when she backs out. I dont care how good a driver she is, its early, its dark, and she has many things on her mind--getting to the airport on time, the kids, the job, and is she really awake at that hour? How distracted is she at this time?

Also, isnt he alittle concerned about her safety, and doesnt see her to the door? I dont care if its 5am. Im sure that with the job and lifestyle that they have that they are coming and going all the time, but not seeing her to the door, and waiting for the vehicle to leave?? Not exactly the same, but when I drop someone off at their car or house, I always wait and make sure that they get in or for the car, they leave the lot before me.

Something is not right here, I agree with you Ghost.

 

[BrownRice]

Ok, have some comments to make. Im afraid of the dark. There is NO WAY possible that I would leave my home, at 5am in the dark, without a husband/male going with me to the car. Im sure some of you are not afraid of the dark, but I cant imagine anyone living in an area that is "not the safest" leaving at 5am, getting to the garage that is not attached to the house, by themselves. I would also have to have all lights on, would look like christmas everytime I went to that dark garage.

And, husband has car semi blocking the drive. Why?? He knows that she is leaving, why risk the possiblility of the car getting hit when she backs out. I dont care how good a driver she is, its early, its dark, and she has many things on her mind--getting to the airport on time, the kids, the job, and is she really awake at that hour? How distracted is she at this time?

Also, isnt he alittle concerned about her safety, and doesnt see her to the door? I dont care if its 5am. Im sure that with the job and lifestyle that they have that they are coming and going all the time, but not seeing her to the door, and waiting for the vehicle to leave?? Not exactly the same, but when I drop someone off at their car or house, I always wait and make sure that they get in or for the car, they leave the lot before me.

Something is not right here, I agree with you Ghost.

I find this whole case a bit confusing and not making sense. However, I don't find anything wrong with her leaving the house at 5:00 a.m. w/out waking her husband. If I am leaving early for a flight, I wouldn't wake my family. Her area, while it is a DC suburb, still seems pretty upscale no?

 

[Txmom]

BrownRice,
Gibson in a post#101 says that Capital Hill is not the greatest neighborhood and he would not allow his wife to go out at night unescorted. Since I dont know the area I will have to believe those that live in or around the area.

I do know that my sister and BIL lived in the area and were very cautious, they did move about 6 yrs ago.

Upscale yes, but just how safe?

I do know of someone whose children had a VW that caught fire in the garage. This happened about 5 yrs ago, they had just brought it back from the VW dealership after some repair work. Closed the garage, went inside, and 15-30 minutes later the house is burning down. Dont know what came of the lawsuit, because the woman (mother of the car owner) died last year.

 

[elainebenice]

"Investigators analyzing the death of lobbyist Ashley Turton believe the high-intensity headlights of her sport utility vehicle may be responsible for the fatal fire that engulfed her Capitol Hill garage, WTOP has learned.

Several sources familiar with the ongoing investigation tell WTOP fire and police investigators believe the radiator in Turton's 2008 BMW X5 was punctured when it rolled into a workbench. The halogen headlights, which emit a bluish light and illuminate the road better than conventional headlights, stayed on after the radiator was punctured."

More at link -
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2263531

 

[newone]

"Investigators analyzing the death of lobbyist Ashley Turton believe the high-intensity headlights of her sport utility vehicle may be responsible for the fatal fire that engulfed her Capitol Hill garage, WTOP has learned.

Several sources familiar with the ongoing investigation tell WTOP fire and police investigators believe the radiator in Turton's 2008 BMW X5 was punctured when it rolled into a workbench. The halogen headlights, which emit a bluish light and illuminate the road better than conventional headlights, stayed on after the radiator was punctured."

More at link -
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2263531

gee...........if they believe that this is ''even possible'' let's see them reproduce the accident (that would make it 'credible MOO)....

snipped from your link

"Beverly Fields, chief of staff at the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says Turton's autopsy is pending, awaiting other tests. The initial physical autopsy did not provide a cause and manner for her death."

The initial autopsy didn't provide a cause but what has transpired since then to determine her actual cause of death?

"From the start, investigators have not suspected foul play. " -

That 'assumption' appears not to have changed.

 

[Coolmomof4]

Even more ridiculous. They say now she was "acutely drunk" and that's why she was unconscious at the time of the fire and didn't get out...

So we are supposed to believe (by piecing the story together) that:

She got up and dressed/ready for this huge merger while DRUNK.

She got into the car, started pulling out, then pulled back in so she could maneuver around the car in the driveway better - while DRUNK, but hit the workbench, and punctured the radiator.

Then she passed out, then the headlights from the car got so hot they ignited the leaking antifreeze.

She was THAT drunk at 5am??? With a flight to catch? Wow. That would have been a big show, the star of the merger showing up fall down drunk... if she had made it to the airport. The flight from DC to Raleigh would have taken only an hour or so.

Yeah sure. Whatever.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Lobbyist-Died-of-Burns-Inhalation-of-Combustible-Products-in-SUV-Fire-115968329.html

 

[3angelsrmine]

Even more ridiculous. They say now she was "acutely drunk" and that's why she was unconscious at the time of the fire and didn't get out...

So we are supposed to believe (by piecing the story together) that:

She got up and dressed/ready for this huge merger while DRUNK.

She got into the car, started pulling out, then pulled back in so she could maneuver around the car in the driveway better - while DRUNK, but hit the workbench, and punctured the radiator.

Then she passed out, then the headlights from the car got so hot they ignited the leaking antifreeze.

She was THAT drunk at 5am??? With a flight to catch? Wow. That would have been a big show, the star of the merger showing up fall down drunk... if she had made it to the airport. The flight from DC to Raleigh would have taken only an hour or so.

Yeah sure. Whatever.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Lobbyist-Died-of-Burns-Inhalation-of-Combustible-Products-in-SUV-Fire-115968329.html

Wow, just wow! To explain the alcohol intoxication: Maybe she never made it into her house from the previous night out (if in fact she did go out)?? Just weird all the way around MHO and just a thought.

 

[3angelsrmine]

I thought I had editted my post to say maybe she came home after having had some cocktails and she "crashed" into the inside of her garage and it took that long for the lights to ignite the radiator or whatever and she never made it inside her home that night. Anyone know if luggage was already in the car?? JMO The "acutely drunk" part is baffling to me that is where this thought comes from. Again JMO

 

[pinkorchid]

A news report said her husband and children had been asleep and were awakened by smoke detectors. I had not heard this before - previous reports indicated that neighbors alerted them and the husband told the firefighters everyone was accounted for.

Now this is what I can't understand. If your house is on fire and your car is parked in the driveway (the car Ashley was trying to maneuver around) wouldn't you go try to move the car in order to save it or get it out of the way of the firefighters?

Wouldn't you want to go watch the firemen put out the fire? I ask these questions because if he had just gone to the driveway he could not have missed her car sticking out of the garage. He would have known she was in there and would have alerted the firefighters.

It's just all so tragic. They may have been able to save her had Dan seen her car.

http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-latest...runk-at-time-of-death-autopsy-finds-8442.html

 

[Missizzy]

I read the article concerning the halogen lights getting so hot that they ignited the antifreeze to my husband (who has worked on BMWs for years) and his first statement was, "Antifreeze would be the last thing to burn." I googled the subject and found that many posts on other forums are reporting the same issue. There's a good bit of info out there about the lack of flammability of antifreeze. It doesn't look like this theory can hold much water.

 

[elfie]

The type of alcohol is not mentioned. I found this article to be interesting in light of the complete and utter strangeness of this case:

Toxic Alcohol Ingestions: Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and
Management

 

[fran]

I just saw where they ruled her drunk.

Seriously, I find it hard to believe.

Very confusing,
fran

 

[October]

This is beyond bizarre. We're supposed to believe that a successful lobbyist, on the day of a big merger, got drunk at 5:00 am before she had to drive to the airport. With three small children at home. No way. I just don't believe it. Is there any chance that she had had a few drinks the night before and was killed then? Did her husband see her come home that night?

I smell a major cover-up here. I firmly believe this was a murder.

 

[SuziQ]

The below article is about a car that crashed into a parking garage pillar then exploded. Other than the fire, there doesn't seem to be alot of body damage. It appears the headlight area connected with the pillar. Even the Fire Chief seems puzzled as to why this happened.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=14366071

 

[Missizzy]

Has anyone found a statement from BMW? I doubt that they'd weigh in yet, due to possible liability but just wondering. The web is full of BMW mechanics saying, "NO WAY!!!"


ETA: With a little further checking, I found this:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...MW_Fields_Questions_About_Turton_s_Death.html

 

[dmander]

Cover up, that is all I have to say as I don't believe the report one bit.

 

[Amster]

Who would be covering up what and why? :waitasec:

 

[tiredblondy]

Thanks Adnoid but...
I'm sorry. I just do not believe it!