Born on July 25, 2002, in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, Ashley Wadsworth grew up surrounded by family love and community warmth. As the younger daughter of Kenneth and Christie Wadsworth, she shared her early years with her sister Hailey in a large family of over 50 relatives, all living close by.
Even after her parents’ divorce and her father’s remarriage, resulting in two half-siblings, Cristal and Brandon, Ashley’s bond with her family remained strong. Among her dearest connections was her niece Paisley, Hailey’s daughter, who held a special place in her heart.
Ashley Wadsworth was well-known for her outgoing personality and lively spirit. Whether she was swimming, horseback riding, skiing, or playing tennis and the clarinet, she embraced life with enthusiasm. Her charm extended to her online presence, where she shared jokes, memes, and pictures, connecting with people far and wide.
Meeting Jack: A Digital Friendship Across Continents
Ashley’s life changed in 2015, when she connected online with Jack Sepple, a boy from Essex, England. Ashley Wadsworth was just 12, and Jack was 15 when their virtual friendship began. Over time, their chats evolved from casual conversations into a close relationship.
Jack, born on January 9, 1999, had a more complicated upbringing. He lived with his mother, Tracy Dalton, and stepfather, Ricky, while having a distant relationship with his late father and little connection to his brother Jordan. Despite his strained family dynamics, Jack maintained a close bond with his sister Nadia.
Jack’s personality was described as a mix of charm and unpredictability. Known for his humor, he also exhibited troubling traits, including aggressive behavior and struggles in school. Still, the bond between him and Ashley Wadsworth deepened over the years.
A Long-Distance Relationship Grows
Ashley Wadsworth and Jack’s online relationship flourished despite their physical distance. They spent hours chatting, sharing gifts, and building a connection. Jack sent Ashley thoughtful presents like clothes and teddy bears, making their relationship tangible even across the Atlantic.
However, Jack’s obsessive tendencies began to raise concerns. He frequently monitored Ashley’s interactions, blocked her friends, and displayed jealousy. In one extreme gesture, he tattooed Ashley’s name on his arm—a move her family found alarming.
By 2018, 16-year-old Ashley Wadsworth was eager to meet Jack in person, but her family refused to let her travel overseas alone. Undeterred, she began saving money while working at fast-food restaurants and department stores, determined to one day make her dream a reality.
In November 2021, Ashley Wadsworth, now 19, took a bold step. With a six-month tourist visa, she flew to the United Kingdom to finally meet Jack in person. Her excitement was evident as she updated her social media profile picture to one of them together at London Gatwick Airport on November 13, 2021.
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A New Chapter: Life Together in Chelmsford
Ashley Wadsworth moved into Jack’s small apartment in northwest Chelmsford, a modest space within a public housing complex. Despite the area’s reputation, the couple spent time exploring Chelmsford’s more scenic spots.
Initially, Jack appeared as the attentive partner Ashley had long imagined. They shared romantic selfies and enjoyed time together. However, Jack’s volatile personality began to surface, occasionally leading to cruel behavior.
As Ashley Wadsworth adjusted to her new environment, she shared cheerful updates on social media, showing her excitement for this new chapter of her life. Friends and family, though supportive, remained concerned about the relationship’s dynamics.
In the early days of Ashley Wadsworth and Jack Sepple’s life together, they adopted a puppy named Winston, seemingly adding joy to their relationship. At first glance, their life appeared happy, but cracks began to show as weeks passed.
Jack’s behavior took a turn—he became increasingly withdrawn, spending his days at home smoking cannabis and playing video games. This starkly contrasted with Ashley’s love for the outdoors, leaving her feeling isolated and confined. Jack’s controlling nature grew stronger, discouraging her from talking to neighbors and limiting her activities.
Isolation from Faith and Friends
Before Ashley’s trip to the UK, a church friend had connected her with American missionaries. Despite her desire to meet them, Jack forbade her from attending church services. Determined to stay connected to her faith, Ashley Wadsworth secretly kept in touch with the missionaries via text, deleting messages to hide their conversations.
The missionaries quickly recognized Jack’s controlling behavior. When Ashley Wadsworth confided in them, she admitted she knew she deserved better but said her primary goal was to make Jack happy.
About six weeks after Ashley’s arrival, Jack’s controlling tendencies escalated into physical abuse. In one instance, he texted his mother, admitting to hitting Ashley in a jealous outburst after discovering she had blocked two numbers years earlier.
Publicly, Ashley maintained a façade of happiness on social media, but privately, she began documenting her bruises in a secret account. She confided in her sister, Hailey, but warned her not to tell their mother, fearing her family would turn against Jack.
In late December 2021, Jack attempted suicide by overdosing on anxiety medication. Ashley Wadsworth acted quickly, calling an ambulance to get him to the hospital. Following this event, she was named Jack’s caregiver, tasked with administering his medication from a lockbox provided by a nurse.
Hailey accidentally revealed Jack’s behavior to their mother, who begged Ashley to come home. Despite her family’s pleas, Ashley insisted Jack could change. She held onto the hope that her love and support could help him heal.
Escalating Violence and Desperate Calls
In early January 2022, Jack’s violence worsened. During a heated argument, he smashed a beer glass over Ashley’s head. Distressed, Ashley video-called Hailey while Jack shouted in the background and forced her to clean up the broken glass. Hailey pleaded with Ashley Wadsworth to leave, but Ashley refused, clinging to the belief that Jack’s better side would resurface.
Later that month, Jack’s temper flared again. During an argument, he threw a candle and a television remote at Ashley while she was on a video call with Hailey. Once more, Hailey begged her to return home. Initially, Ashley Wadsworth agreed but quickly changed her mind, convinced Jack could improve with time and medication.
Jack’s family, concerned about his deteriorating mental state, organized a trip to the coastal town of Rye to provide a change of scenery. Photos from the trip painted a picture of harmony, offering Ashley’s family some reassurance. However, the peace was short-lived, as Jack’s anger resurfaced soon after their return.
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The Morning of February 1: A Turning Point
On February 1, 2022, Jack accused Ashley Wadsworth of sneaking around behind his back after finding a photo of a naked woman on her phone. Enraged, he smashed her phone and even threw their puppy, Winston, against the wall.
At around 8 AM, Ashley ran to a neighbor’s door, barefoot and bleeding, crying as she explained what had happened. Despite her fear, she begged the neighbor not to call the police, worried about escalating the situation.
The neighbor offered to take Ashley along to a medical appointment to get her away from Jack, but Ashley declined, choosing to stay. When the neighbor confronted Jack, he appeared calm and apologetic, convincing her to leave.
Around 9 AM, another neighbor brought Jack a misdelivered package. Jack barely opened the door, his distant behavior raising suspicion but not alarm. Meanwhile, Ashley called her family from Jack’s phone.
Back in Vernon, it was midnight. By this time, Ashley’s mother had learned about the abuse after Hailey could no longer keep it a secret. The family immediately booked Ashley a return flight for February 3, urging her to come home and leave the toxic relationship behind.
A Glimmer of Escape
For Ashley, the ticket home symbolized a way out—a chance to break free from the cycle of abuse. However, the events of February 1 were only the beginning of a devastating day that would change everything.
Ashley Wadsworth informed Jack Sepple of her decision to leave England, planning to depart in two days. Reluctantly, Jack agreed to take her for a COVID test and drive her to the airport. Ashley’s mother warned her to head directly to the airport if Jack showed any signs of violence and made it clear to Jack that she would involve the police if Ashley was harmed.
Meanwhile, Ashley’s sister Hailey contacted Jack’s mother for help, but she was leaving for a trip and unable to intervene. Before ending the call, Jack’s mother expressed her concern that Jack might harm himself once Ashley left.
Ashley’s last call with her family lasted three hours, ending at 11 AM Chelmsford time, 3 AM in Vernon. Just minutes after the call, Jack texted his mother, confessing that he had attacked Ashley again, throwing her to the ground and potentially fracturing her arm. His mother didn’t respond.
Between 11:22 AM and 12:38 PM, Ashley Wadsworth sent desperate messages to her family and friends in Vernon using Jack’s phone. She also messaged her church friends in Chelmsford, pleading for help and stating it was an emergency. Tragically, due to the time difference, no one in Vernon replied, and the messages to her church friends were delayed and didn’t send until it was too late.
The Crime
Between 12:38 and 12:45 PM, Jack’s escalating rage turned deadly. He strangled Ashley Wadsworth until she stopped breathing, then retrieved a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her over 90 times in the chest and abdomen.
After the horrific act, Jack shockingly carried on with his day. He played video games, changed his profile picture to one featuring himself and Ashley captioned “Always mine,” and recorded a chilling video addressed to Hailey. In the video, Jack professed his love for Ashley Wadsworth, apologized for his actions, and claimed he couldn’t let her go, blaming his mental state. Disturbingly, Ashley’s lifeless body was visible beside him. Jack never sent the video but inflicted superficial wounds on his chest, possibly to stage a self-defense scenario.
As Ashley’s family in Vernon woke up, they were alarmed by her desperate messages. Concerned, they contacted a friend of Ashley’s in Chelmsford, who went to Jack’s apartment. Receiving no response at the door, he called the police and left.
Around 4 PM, Ashley’s best friend in Vernon noticed her social media account was active and messaged her in a panic. It was Jack who responded, pretending to be Ashley and claiming everything was fine. However, Jack ignored subsequent messages from Ashley’s increasingly frantic family and friends.
Finally, Jack called his sister Nadia and confessed to killing Ashley Wadsworth. He even showed her Ashley’s body during the call.
The Discovery
At 4:13 PM, police entered Jack’s apartment, responding to the earlier call from Ashley’s friend. Inside, they found the horrifying scene—a tragic end to Ashley’s life.
Back in Vernon, Ashley’s sister Hailey, now certain of what had happened, tearfully informed their father. Kenneth contacted Canadian authorities, pleading for their help in confirming Ashley’s safety in England. Moments later, British authorities delivered the devastating news: Ashley Wadsworth had been killed.
Jack was arrested on the spot, covered in blood, and confessed to the murder, claiming he had experienced a psychotic episode. He was sent to Chelmsford Prison while awaiting trial, which was scheduled for September 7, 2022.
Toxicology reports revealed Jack had traces of cannabis and therapeutic levels of anti-anxiety medication in his system during the crime. Psychiatric evaluations deemed him fit to stand trial. The evidence against Jack was overwhelming, including the video he recorded admitting to the crime.
Jack pleaded guilty, and the judge informed him that the only possible sentence was life imprisonment. He was held in custody until the sentencing hearing on October 10, giving Ashley’s parents time to travel to Essex and attend in person.
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A Shocking Criminal History
During the hearing, the prosecutor revealed Jack’s criminal record, shocking Ashley’s grieving parents. They learned that Jack’s troubling behavior stretched back to 2014, when, at age 15, he took explicit photos of a girl he met online. After she ended their relationship, he hacked her accounts and posted the images, leading to a restraining order. Just a month later, Jack violated the order by contacting her again.
In the same year, Jack assaulted his mother during an argument, pushing her to the floor and ripping a door off its hinges.
Jack Sepple’s violent tendencies and controlling behavior were apparent long before he met Ashley Wadsworth. In 2014, Jack’s first major offense involved taking explicit photos of a girl he met online. When their relationship ended, Jack hacked her social media accounts and published the images, resulting in a restraining order.
By March 2017, Jack had violated the restraining order again, sending the victim another social media request. When the order expired later that year, Jack contacted the girl within six minutes. His messages echoed the same coercive tactics he would later use with Ashley Wadsworth, telling the victim she could never escape him, even if it meant he went to prison.
Escalation of Violence
In 2018, Jack’s behavior intensified. After cutting his arm and damaging a door when his mother called paramedics, he was placed in a juvenile detention center. A restraining order was later issued to protect his mother, but Jack breached it within the same year. In September 2018, he broke into an assisted living facility, earning a 21-day prison sentence.
By 2020, Jack’s pattern of abuse became even more alarming. He was accused of false imprisonment, assault, and coercive behavior after locking a woman in his home. While the charges were dropped when the victim failed to appear at trial, a restraining order was imposed. Later that year, another relationship ended after Jack choked a woman and locked her inside his home. She managed to escape, but no charges were filed.
During Jack’s sentencing hearing for Ashley Wadsworth’s murder, her parents learned the full extent of his violent past, leaving them horrified. The court presented evidence of Jack’s troubling history, shedding light on a man whose behavior had escalated unchecked for years.
In court, a letter from Jack was read, addressed to Ashley’s mother and sister, Hailey. In the letter, Jack expressed remorse, admitting that no apology could bring Ashley back or ease their pain. He claimed that his deteriorating mental health and intrusive thoughts had influenced his actions but acknowledged that these were not excuses.
Given Jack’s extensive criminal record and his guilty plea, the judge sentenced him to life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after 23 years.
A Vigil for Ashley
On October 12, 2022, Ashley’s parents, her stepmother, a close friend, and Julie Taylor—a campaigner against knife violence who had lost her grandson to a stabbing—held a vigil in Ashley’s memory. The group walked from Brownings Avenue to the site where Ashley spent her final days.
They laid wreaths and roses on the doorstep as neighbors came out to show their support. Ashley’s mother paused for a quiet moment of reflection, mourning her daughter’s loss.
Ashley’s remains were repatriated to Canada with the help of a crowdfunding campaign that raised hundreds of donations. Her funeral was held on February 23, 2022, live-streamed so friends and family from afar could attend.
Funds left over from the campaign were donated to a scholarship foundation and a domestic violence support organization. During the funeral, Ashley Wadsworth was remembered as a vibrant, adventurous young woman with a love for nature and an infectious sense of humor.
In an interview a year after the tragedy, Hailey shared that she and her family believed Ashley Wadsworth sent them signs from above. They experienced doors opening and closing on their own and lights flickering without explanation, finding comfort in these moments of connection with her spirit.
Raising Awareness About Abuse
After the trial, Ashley’s father expressed frustration with the lack of accessible information about Jack’s history. Despite searching his name online before Ashley’s trip, the family found nothing that raised alarm. He questioned the balance between the right to privacy and public safety for individuals with a known history of violence.
In the UK, Clare’s Law allows individuals to request information about a partner’s criminal past related to domestic violence. However, the process can be slow, and disclosure is not guaranteed. Ashley’s mother lamented not knowing about this policy, believing she could have acted sooner to protect her daughter.
Domestic abuse is a global issue, affecting individuals across all ages, social classes, and backgrounds. In England and Wales, a woman is killed by a male partner or ex-partner every four days, according to Women’s Aid.
Despite warning signs during Ashley and Jack’s online relationship, Ashley Wadsworth chose to ignore them, a decision that tragically cost her life. Many victims of abuse hold onto hope, believing that their partner’s apologies and promises to change are genuine. For Ashley, her love for Jack clouded her judgment, and she believed her support could help him heal.
By the time Ashley Wadsworth recognized the danger and decided to leave, it was too late. Her story is a heartbreaking reminder of the importance of education, awareness, and support for those experiencing domestic abuse. While Jack’s sentencing brought justice, it came at the cost of a vibrant life filled with promise, leaving Ashley’s family to carry the weight of unimaginable loss.
