On the morning of November 3, 2017, 21-year-old Ashley Grooms was shot and killed inside her home on Jayson Street in Camden, Tennessee. A 911 call placed by Ashley contains gunfire in the background and a baby crying; officers found her deceased when they arrived. Several rounds from a high-powered rifle were fired inside the residence. Ashley’s 14-month-old child was in the house during the shooting and was physically unharmed.

Ashley’s husband, 24-year-old Derek Grooms, was at the scene and described as acting erratically. He was first arrested for unlawful possession of a weapon and, the next day, charged with first-degree murder; additional charges later included felony murder, aggravated child abuse and possession of methamphetamine. Bond was initially set at $1 million. In June 2021 a retired judge reduced bond to $50,000 and he was released pending trial; following a January 2022 arrest on new domestic-assault charges in another county, his bond in the Benton County case was revoked and he was returned to custody.

Ashley was remembered as a homemaker and member of the Holladay Community Church. If anyone knew Ashley, her family, or has information about what happened that night, please come forward.