Who is Ashley Schwalm and how did she die?

Ashley Schwalm was a 40-year-old mother of two who was murdered by her husband, James Schwalm, and her death was staged to look like a car crash.

What was James Schwalm's sentence?

James Schwalm was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 20 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Where did the murder of Ashley Schwalm take place?

The murder took place in the Blue Mountains, Ontario, Canada, near where Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning grew up.

Home / Crime and Justice / Fire Captain Kills Wife, Staged Fatal Crash

Fire Captain Kills Wife, Staged Fatal Crash

19 Nov

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Summary

Husband staged wife's murder as car crash during snowstorm.
Victim identified as Ashley Schwalm, mother of two.
James Schwalm sentenced to life without parole for 20 years.

Fire Captain Kills Wife, Staged Fatal Crash

In a shocking turn of events, James Schwalm, a captain with Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the second-degree murder of his wife, Ashley Schwalm. The 40-year-old mother of two was found deceased in a car engulfed in flames during a severe snowstorm.

Evidence revealed Schwalm strangled Ashley in their home following an argument. He then meticulously staged the scene, dressing her in hiking attire and placing her body in their vehicle before setting it on fire to simulate a car accident.

The case hit close to home for NBC Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning, who grew up in the nearby Blue Mountains of Ontario, Canada. She revealed that covering this investigation, which involved people she knew, was particularly challenging, yet she was driven by the need to tell Ashley's story.

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