The Fond du Lac Police Department (FDLPD) in Wisconsin has reclassified the death of a woman involved in a car accident as a homicide. The woman, Ashley Ann Calo, aged 33, was found dead following a car accident on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, around 6:20 p.m.
Calo was discovered by FDLPD at the accident scene, where she was slumped over the steering wheel of her car, which had crashed into a pile of landscaping bricks and come to a halt atop some shrubbery. Calo was the mother of a three-year-old son who was found unharmed in the back seat of the vehicle.
First responders quickly removed the child from the car and attempted to save Calo’s life. Despite their efforts, she succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
A nearby bar owner, Dawn Smet, recounted the moments following the accident. She initially thought it was a simple car crash, but upon closer inspection, she noticed someone inside and immediately called 911. The emergency services arrived promptly at the scene.
The resulting investigation uncovered disturbing details about Calo’s condition prior to the crash. Jason Smith, a close acquaintance of Calo, disclosed to investigators that Calo had suffered multiple stab wounds—one to her stomach and another to her neck—before the accident. This revelation led the police to reclassify Calo’s death as a homicide.
Smet divulged that the police hinted at a possible link between Calo’s death and another incident nearby that occurred around the same time as the crash. An employee from the area reported that the police were investigating a blood pool and a weapon found outside a nearby Anytime Fitness.
As a result of the investigation, Annaka Winter Trudell, a 20-year-old Fond du Lac resident, was arrested on Wednesday, February 14, and charged with first-degree reckless homicide. Another 21-year-old man, also from Fond du Lac, has been taken into custody on charges of harboring or aiding a felon.
Those close to Calo are sharing memories of her infectious laughter, love for life, and deep affection for her son. Briana Ilgen, a long-time friend, praised Calo’s ability to light up a room with her smile and humor.
Another long-time friend, Derik Golemgeski, spoke about Calo’s vibrant and humorous nature. He emphasized the significant impact she had on people and how deeply her absence is felt.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Calo’s son and cover funeral expenses. The page, organized by friends Hollyann Zastrow and Kierra Hoover, has raised over $5,000. Zastrow described Calo as an impeccable friend who cherished her son above everything else and had a smile that could brighten the darkest spaces.
The FDLPD, in a statement issued on Thursday, February 15, thanked the community and their social media followers for their assistance and response to an FDLPD post requesting help on this case. The police highlighted the importance of community involvement and engagement with the FDLPD, attributing the sharing of the post as instrumental in obtaining a tip that led to an arrest.
