Police: Allen Brewery Owner Charged With Murder After Allegedly Staging Client's Suicide
CARROLLTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Allen business man Keith T. Ashley was charged with murder after allegedly staging his client, James "Jim" Seegan's suicide.
Ashley was taken into federal custody near his home in Allen on Friday, November 13, 2020 on related wire fraud charges.
James' wife, Sakida "Dida" Seegan found him dead in an upstairs office when she returned home from work on Feb. 19, 2020. There was a semi-automatic handgun in the 62-year-old's left hand, which was resting on his left thigh, according to the arrest warrant. He had an entry gunshot wound on the left side of his head and an exit wound on the right side of his head.
Mrs. Seegan told detectives that her husband was right-handed and didn't own any guns.
An apparent suicide note was left on the desk next to James. It was typed, without any handwriting or signature. The last sentence read, "My last friend Keith Ashley will help you."
In addition to owning Nine Band Brewing Co. in Allen, Ashley was a friend and financial advisor of the Seegan's who would visit their home periodically.
While viewing the couple's "Nest" video surveillance, detectives determined Ashley was the last person let inside the home before Mrs. Seegan returned the day her husband was murdered.
An autopsy revealed James had Etomidate, an anesthetic used to induce anesthesia by nurses and paramedics, in his system. When administered intravenously, the drug renders the patient unconscious immediately. Etomidate is not easily accessible outside of a hospital.
Ashley is a former nurse for City Hospital at White Rock in Dallas. He worked there from May 19, 2019 to July 14, 2020. A spokesperson for the hospital told CBS 11 News he was terminated for not working enough shifts.
Detectives said James was not a drug user and didn't appear to have any emergency medical care recently for him to have Etomidate in his system.
Additionally, Mrs. Seegan told detectives that she reached out to Ashley to help her notify James' financial institutions about his passing. Ashley told her he needed James' phone to do so. She told detectives that when she gave Ashley the phone, he deleted text messages between him and James. When Mrs. Seegan asked what he was doing, he told her he "accidentally" deleted the messages.
Detectives later discovered that Ashley wired $20,000 from James' bank account to his own while in possession of the phone. He did so without Mrs. Seegan's knowledge or consent, according to the arrest warrant.
During the course of the investigation, detectives also identified several other victims of a "Ponzi"-type scheme Ashley allegedly orchestrated.
Anyone with information related to these crimes is asked to call their tip line at (972) 466.9133 or email CrimeTips@CityofCarrollton.com.
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