MATHEWS COUNTY, VA – Two suspects have been charged following a shocking double homicide and arson case that unfolded in Mathews County on the night of July 11, 2025.
Deputies with the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10 p.m. to a house fire in the 1700 block of John Clayton Memorial Highway. Inside the burned home, firefighters discovered the bodies of Chad Wayne Ashford, 54, and Audrey Elaine Hudgins Mowrar, 56.
Investigators determined both victims had been shot multiple times before the fire was set. Authorities believe the murders occurred on July 10, with the suspects returning the next day to destroy evidence.
After receiving tips from the public and analyzing digital evidence—including license plate data—investigators tracked the suspect vehicle to Newport News. Carol Paul Cormier Jr., 33, and Lacey Ann Horsley, 18, fled during a traffic stop but were later apprehended.
Charges Filed:
Carol Cormier Jr. faces:
Two counts of second-degree murder
Two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a murder
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Burning or destroying a residential structure
Lacey Horsley faces:
Two counts of accessory after the fact to murder
Conspiracy to commit arson
The suspects are being held without bond at the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
Cormier’s mother, Tina Darby Kelley, who personally knew the victims, expressed deep sorrow and shock, saying, “I didn’t raise my son to be this type of person.”
Kelley also shared that Cormier and Ashford may have had a complicated personal relationship, which could have played a role in the tragedy. She believes Horsley—who had just graduated high school—may have been manipulated or afraid to come forward.
“I just cry for Audrey, cry for Chad, and cry for the bad decision my son made,” Kelley told local media. “Audrey was an amazing woman… Chad had a heart of gold, too.”
