‘My heart is broken for my kids’: Maple Valley mother wants justice for adoptive children’s mother

MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — A mother said she wants justice for her adoptive children’s biological mother who was shot and killed. Her body was found in Maple Valley.

BODIES IDENTIFIED:

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the identities of two bodies that were found in a bush in Maple Valley, on the side of 238th Avenue Southeast, near Maple Valley Black Diamond Road South East, last Thursday, November 16.

The bodies belong to Robert Riley, 57, of Maple Valley, and Ashley Williams, 34, of Maple Valley, according to a report from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

A King County deputy told KIRO 7, while we were covering a different story Thursday afternoon, that two bodies were found.

KIRO 7 rushed to the scene where a spokesperson with the sheriff’s office said they could only confirm one body, covered in trash and debris, was found.

On Monday, the King County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed two bodies had been found.

The cause of death for both people involved is a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a King County Medical Examiner’s Office report shared on Tuesday.

KIRO 7 reached out to the King County Sheriff’s Office to gather more details.

A spokesperson said there were no updates on the case, including any possible suspect(s), as of Tuesday afternoon.

ASHLEY WILLIAMS:

KIRO 7 spoke with Deanna Powell, who adopted two of Ashley Williams’ five children, to learn more about Williams.

Powell said she and Williams agreed on an open adoption last year after she said Williams needed help.

“Ashley, she had some low points in her life. I think there were times it was hard for her to even take care of herself,” Powell said. “She knew that she couldn’t take of her kids, and she needed somebody to take care of them for her and a lot of people stepped in.”

Powell is now taking care of Williams’ four-year-old daughter and son, who will turn three years old on Wednesday.

She said Williams’ sister called her last week about Ashley Williams’ death.

“When Angela said she had been murdered. My heart just went into my throat, and I couldn’t talk,” she said. “My heart is broken. My heart is broken for my kids.”

Powell said her two children and Williams recently celebrated Halloween as they dressed up in costumes to go trick or treating.

They also had plans to celebrate Christmas together in Bellevue for the third year in a row.

“She was so excited to see the kids and she was so thankful to be able to see them, and they (children) were thankful to see her too,” Powell said.

Powell told us that Williams would often see her children on the holidays, including on her children’s birthdays.

“What are we going to do on Mother’s Day? What are we going to do on all these things where we’ve regularly seen her and she’s not going to be there?” Powell said. “And then the kids will ask, ‘Where’s my mommy Ashley?’ And those are really hard conversations that I will have to have with them.”

Williams’ biological family is currently planning her service and viewing, Powell said.

As Powell and loved ones remember Williams, Powell said she hopes deputies will find the person responsible for her death to help bring closure to her family.

“It’s just heartbreaking. Whoever did this took their mom away from them,” she said. “And I just wish we had one more day so the kids can hug her.”

“Whoever it is, I hope they (deputies) bring them to justice because she (Williams) deserves that. She didn’t deserve to die. She didn’t deserve to be taken away from her kids didn’t deserve this either,” she said.

Powell created a GoFundMe to help Williams’ family and children during this tragic time. If you’d like to help, please click here.

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