A Gloucester County teenager has admitted to helping a man accused of committing a double homicide and arson in Mathews County, according to court documents obtained by 13News Now. Carol Paul Cormier Jr., 33, of Mathews County, and Lacey Ann Horsley, 18, of Gloucester County, were arrested following a deadly house fire on July 11 that left two people dead.
At approximately 10 p.m., the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a fire in the 17000 block of John Clayton Memorial Highway. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the bodies of Chad Wayne Ashford, 54, and Audrey Elaine Hudgins Mowrar, 56, inside the residence. Both had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators say tips from the public, digital evidence, and license plate reader technology led them to a vehicle in Newport News linked to the crime. Newport News Police conducted a traffic stop, during which both Cormier and Horsley fled on foot but were quickly apprehended.
In a police interview, Horsley admitted she was present at the home on July 10, the day before the fire. According to court documents, she witnessed an argument between Cormier and Ashford before Cormier allegedly shot Ashford multiple times. When Hudgins attempted to call authorities, she was also fatally shot by Cormier, Horsley told investigators.
Horsley further confessed that she drove Cormier away from the scene in a blue sedan after the shootings. The next day, the pair reportedly returned to the home with the intent of setting it on fire to destroy evidence. Horsley said Cormier later disposed of a firearm and ammunition in Gloucester County, where investigators recovered .380-caliber shell casings.
During questioning, Cormier admitted to “losing his temper” and panicking after the killings. He claimed it was Horsley who helped come up with the plan to burn the home.
After Tuesday’s court hearing, Cormier’s mother spoke publicly, calling Audrey Hudgins “her best friend since 2013.” She said Hudgins and her son were in a relationship and that Ashford often regarded Hudgins as a mother figure. “It breaks my heart,” she said. “I did not raise my son to be accused of something like this.”
Lacey Horsley faces charges of accessory after the fact to murder and conspiracy to commit arson. Carol Paul Cormier Jr. has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of firearm use in a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and arson of a residential dwelling.
Both suspects are being held without bond at the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Investigator Rice at (804) 725-7177.