The House passed Wednesday House Bill 2946, the Lauria and Ashley’s Law. The legislation is named after 16-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman, who were kidnapped, tortured, raped, and killed on New Year’s Eve in 1999. Ashley’s parents were found shot to death in their mobile home which was set ablaze. It is assumed that Lauria and Ashley’s bodies were disposed in a Pitcher mine pit.
The bill would require an offender found guilty of accessory to murder in the first or second degree would be required to serve at least 85% of their sentence and would receive no credits for time served.
Representative Steve Bashore authored HB 2946 because Ronnie Busick, who was charged with access to felony murder in the case, only served three years of a ten-year sentence. That was due to the time he spent in jail. Busick has been released and is back in the community where the murders occurred.
“While I can’t rewind the clock and re-prosecute this horrible crime, I can do the only thing I know to do to try to bring some measure of peace to this family that has suffered so much,” Bashore said. “I’ve authored legislation to ensure going forward that anyone connected with a felony murder such as this will not be released prematurely from prison and will not receive any type of credits for time served.”
The House passed the measure by a vote of 85 to 13. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
