You Won’t Sleep After Watching This True Crime!

What do you know about the murder of Ashley Daniel?  Please, if there’s anyone here, make yourself known.  Do you know anything about it?  Oh, hello, Mr. Nile.  Do you know why Ashley was shot and killed?  In all comments.  These body cam clips recorded by Muryside police officers were captured just minutes after two 8-year-old Ashley Dale was gunned down inside her own home.

 She wasn’t even the intended target, just an innocent victim caught up in someone else’s feud. The man they were actually after wasn’t even home that night. When investigators dug deeper into the case, they uncovered a tangled, chilling story that would send shivers down anyone’s spine. Who was Ashley Dale? How did a young woman become an innocent porn in a world ruled by criminals? And what exactly happened that night when her life was cut short? Welcome to the Detective Mike channel.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, now’s the perfect time so you won’t miss any of our true shocking and mysterious cases. Don’t forget to hit the like button and comment below what city you’re watching from and what the weather’s like there right now. So, let’s begin. Liverpool, a vibrant British city, world famous as the birthplace of the Beatles.

 It sits on the scenic banks of the river Murzy, blending stunning historic architecture with a modern, lively atmosphere. You can stroll through the iconic Albert Docks, visit museums dedicated to music, seafaring, and football, or see the stadium of the legendary Liverpool FC. The city is full of energy, nightife, and friendly people.

 It’s no wonder Liverpool leaves an unforgettable impression on everyone who visits. But in this very city, on a hot summer night in 2022, an innocent woman found herself trapped in the middle of a deadly setup. Our story begins in the Old Swan district, just a few miles east of downtown Liverpool. At 12:41 a.m. on August 21st, 2022, a frantic emergency call came in.

A terrified neighbor reported hearing what sounded like gunfire, then saw a woman lying motionless in her own backyard. Police arrived within minutes. The house was eerily silent, and what they saw inside left even the most seasoned officers frozen. The front door was the first thing that stood out. It had been kicked in with force.

 The officers immediately knew something horrific had happened inside. The back door leading into the yard, was partly open, as if someone had either fled in a panic or desperately tried to escape. Step by step, the officers moved into the garden and stopped dead in their tracks. Lying before them was the body of a young woman.

 She had collapsed right on the patio, motionless, covered in blood. Her body was twisted unnaturally as if she had tried to run or call for help in her final moments. Nearby, just a few feet away, was a cell phone. It looked like it had slipped from her hand as she lost consciousness. But what struck the detectives most, were the signs of brutal violence.

Beneath her body, a large pool of blood had already soaked into the ground, and soon the reason became clear. Inside the house, they found several spent bullet casings scattered across the floor. For the police, it was a night they’d never forget. Shootings are extremely rare in the UK, so the murder of a young woman inside her own home sent shock waves through the entire community.

 As forensic teams worked the scene, more officers arrived and soon the noise and flashing lights woke up the whole neighborhood. Residents from nearby homes told police they’d heard the gunshots. Some recalled hearing a car speed off, tires screeching. Others mentioned a car alarm going off just moments before the chaos.

 All of it, the fear, the violence, the confusion, left a deep scar on the community. When police identified the victim, the news hit hard. The woman was 28-year-old Ashley Dale. But immediately, dozens of questions arose. Why her? Did she have enemies? Who fired the shots? And why? Some of those questions would eventually be answered, but not in the way anyone expected.

 Because it turned out Ashley wasn’t even the target. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, a random victim of someone else’s ruthless vendetta. To truly understand this case, we have to start with who Ashley Dale was. She was born in Liverpool to Julie and Steven Dunn. There were five people in the family, her parents and three children.

 Ashley, the eldest, was always the protector she looked after, not only her younger brother and sister, but even her parents. Her cheerfulness and caring nature shone even more after the terrible tragedy of 2015. That year, her younger brother, one six-year-old Lewis, was shot mistaken for someone else during a gang clash.

 This event left a permanent wound in Ashley’s heart and changed the way she saw the world. But instead of shutting herself off, she found the strength to keep moving forward. Ashley earned a degree in environmental health and later landed a position as an environmental safety inspector. Her colleagues admired her persistence, compassion, and drive to make the world a better place.

 She worked on projects that improved living conditions and health for Liverpool residents. Ashley’s reputation grew quickly. She became a model of professionalism and kindness. Outside of work, she led a normal, peaceful life, friends, family, and walks with her beloved dog, Dash. Her family called her a ray of light, kind, sincere, full of life.

 But even the brightest light can be extinguished when a shadow appears nearby. Her personal life became more complicated when she started dating a man named Lee Harrison. His past raised concerns for Ashley’s family. Lee had deep ties to the criminal world, and as it would later turn out, those connections would set in motion a tragedy no one could have predicted.

Ashley’s family couldn’t watch her relationship with Lee Harrison without worry. After losing their son, fear for their daughter was entirely natural. They sensed this man was dangerous. But Ashley refused to admit it. She believed Lee could change, that he had merely lost his way and was now trying to turn his life around.

 Her kind soul, faith in people, and genuine naivity blinded her to who Lee really was. Now it’s time to get to know him more closely. Lee Harrison, 28, from Liverpool, a man deeply entrenched in the criminal world from his youth, drugs, gangs, street fights. As a teenager, he was friends with Nyall Barry, a local dealer who controlled parts of the drug market.

Together, they traded everything from marijuana to top quality cocaine. Their alliance seemed strong, built on trust, money, and shared risks. But as often happens in these circles, betrayal destroyed it all. In 2018, Nile was robbed someone from the local hillsiders gang, stole drugs worth about $40,000, around $50,000.

And crucially, Nile had kept all of it in his own home. After the robbery, he started looking for the culprit and discovered that Lee had close ties with the same gang that stole from him. Suspicion fell on his friend. Barry was convinced Harrison had tipped them off. Lee denied it, but trust was gone forever.

 From that point on, they became enemies, and their former friendship turned into an open war. To protect himself, Lee officially joined the Hillsiders, fully committing to the conflict. Time passed, but the hostility never faded. Then, in June 2022, old hatred flared up again. Lee and Ashley went to the legendary Glastonbury Festival just to relax, enjoy the music, and forget their worries.

 But fate had other plans among thousands of attendees. They accidentally ran into one of Nile Barry’s associates. The encounter instantly escalated into a fight. Although Nile himself didn’t witness the clash, he was at the festival and quickly learned about the incident. His reaction was explosive. He vowed that the next time he saw Lee, he would stab him in the back.

 You got onto a vehicle on you or in the vehicle. Okay. So, I’ll be telling you for a search number on screen. Okay. James has got £700 in cash on him, but that’s below the threshold.  Oh, hello, Mr. Nile.  Yeah, that’ll do.  The body cam footage shows officers conducting a search. In Nile’s belongings, they found a knife in the same bag where his passport was kept.

 Nile, time is 252, mate. You’re going to be arrested under suspicion of possession of that. Okay.  That’s on my bag.  It’s in your bag with your passport in it. Okay.  I’ve just before anything I’m in defense do not mention any questions later on in court. Anything you do say maybe given an evidence. All right.

 It’s got your passport in it.  He grabbed all my stuff before.  Ask him if he grabbed all my stuff before.  Is it just one bag?  No, there’s two bags.  My bag. My bag. The tire bag. The white bag. did say straight away that his passport’s going to be in his mates.  I did see that I did see that you’re under us for now. Okay.

 It’s your bag, is it?  Say again.  The big blue hog to protect his friend. Another man named James Wittam took the blame, claiming the knife was his. He was arrested and Nile was released. However, this police operation didn’t resolve anything. The conflict only deepened. So, I’m going to arrest you then.

 Suspicion of possession of this. Okay. So, you didn’t have to say anything. Okay. Anything you do say, maybe give it. After that incident, Ashley’s life changed dramatically. For the first time, she felt true fear. The realization that there were people around capable of murder and that Nile’s threats could become reality began to push her toward panic.

 She knew he had promised to come after, not just Lee, but her too. After the festival, Ashley started living in constant tension. She couldn’t sleep at night, flinched at every sound, and felt the danger closing in. Eventually, unable to cope, she shared her fears with a friend, a girl named Mo. In the message she sent, anxiety was palpable, as if she sensed impending doom.

 She wrote to her friend, “Mo, I’m anxious. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s about to happen.” With each passing day, Ashley’s worry only grew, and she repeatedly reached out to friends for support. In one message, she admitted to feeling genuine fear. “I constantly feel like someone is watching me. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.

 Her constant stress began to wear her down. The messages Ashley sent to friends show just how deeply it affected her mental state. Despite all attempts to convince herself nothing was wrong, she couldn’t shake the sense that trouble was already near. In another conversation, she wrote, “I feel like a sitting duck just waiting to be shot.

 I keep hearing strange noises outside. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination or if someone’s really there.” Unfortunately, her intuition proved prophetic. Ashley really was a sitting duck, and the predator was already at her door. The evening of August 20th, 2022 began normally. Ashley and her friend Dala were spending a quiet night at home while Lee was out with friends.

 That same evening, Ashley sent a photo of her and Dala sitting together on the couch. If only she had known what awaited her next. As night fell, a car alarm blared sharply from next door. Ashley quickly recognized the sound. It was her car. She didn’t think much of it at first, assuming the rain had triggered it.

 She messaged her friend. The alarm went off again, probably because of the rain. On the surface, her tone seemed calm, but between the lines, anxiety was evident. Later that evening, she wrote again, “I don’t know. I feel like someone’s walking around the house.” Her fear was growing and the car alarm went off once more.

 Now Ashley had no doubt it wasn’t a coincidence. I’m really on edge tonight. I don’t like any of this. She messaged her friend. Around 1A um already on August 21st. A sharp ding-dong sounded at the door. Ashley froze. She knew instinctively that it meant nothing good. Silence filled the house. Then the door suddenly slammed open. An armed man burst inside.

 He didn’t hesitate for a second. He opened fire. In a panic, Ashley grabbed her phone and ran toward the back door, but she didn’t make it. A bullet struck her. While Dala hid in a corner, the attackers swept through the house, firing into different rooms, hoping to find Lee. Meanwhile, in the garden behind the house, Ashley, wounded and terrified, experienced her final moments.

 She had no chance to escape, neither from the bullets nor from the pain. Her last messages sent just minutes before the attack became a chilling testament to how accurately she had sensed the danger.  Anyone here? Make yourself known.  Officers with taser.  That door’s open.  Is it?  Yeah. Chris, you got to leave me a walk through.

 That door is open.  Please go back. that last.  When law enforcement arrived, the horrifying truth became clear Ashley Dale had been coldbloodedly murdered. The investigation revealed that all the tires on her car had been deliberately slashed the very act that triggered the alarm.

 The perpetrators wanted to lure Ashley and Lee out of the house. When the family learned about her last messages, they were devastated and enraged, realizing that she had sensed the danger, but had no chance to avoid it. Ashley had been right from the start her intuition hadn’t failed. As the saying goes, it’s always worth trusting your gut.

 And ironically, it was her intuition that effectively helped the police uncover her own murder. In the messages she sent before her death, everything was their evidence, clues, answers. The detectives just had to piece together this chilling puzzle. However, the investigation was far from simple. On the contrary, it turned into a tangled web of lies and confusion.

 And at the center of this chaos was her boyfriend Lee, who mysteriously vanished at the time of the attack. Police quickly noticed that Lee was acting suspiciously. He refused to provide any testimony, avoided cooperation, and even during official interrogations, remained stubbornly silent.

 This only slowed the investigation and raised more and more questions. His behavior seemed heartless. He not only failed to help find the culprits, but completely stepped aside, changed his phone number, ignored messages from Ashley’s family, and simply disappeared from their lives. This detachment, especially in the wake of her tragic death, raised serious doubts.

 Did he know more than he was saying? Yes, everyone grieavves in their own way, but even that didn’t justify his cold-bloodedness. And unfortunately, this was just the beginning. Barely a few days after the murder, detectives were shocked to learn that Lee had flown to Spain for a vacation. That’s right, just after his girlfriend was brutally killed, he decided to relax in the Sunday.

 This move sparked a new wave of suspicion. Was he trying to escape the investigation? But the police didn’t have time for guesses. While Lee was sunbathing on the beach, detectives began reconstructing the events of that tragic night, August 20th, 20122. Surveillance footage captured two men, James Whittam and Joseph Pierce. After visiting a local store, they got into a gray Hyundai the Fertenne.

 This vehicle later became a key piece of evidence. Another camera recorded it near Ashley’s house that same evening. The footage showed the car slowly moving through the Page Moss area as if scouting the area before the attack. Around 11:30 p.m., James and Joe approached Ashley’s white Volkswagen, parked by the house, and slashed all the tires, triggering the alarm.

 They were trying to lure someone out, Ashley or her boyfriend Lee, but no one came out. They then retreated to come up with a plan B. And unfortunately, this plan turned into a true nightmare. An hour later, the men returned. This time, one of them was carrying a scorpion submachine gun. They knew who they were after. After breaking down the front door, they stormed the house.

 Ashley tried to escape through the backyard, but when she reached the garden door, James pulled the trigger. Eight bullets fired from the gun. One hit her in the back. When she fell to the ground, the attacker went upstairs and fired five more rounds into an empty bedroom, possibly trying to scare Lee. Then both criminals rushed downstairs and disappeared.

 Fortunately, a neighbor’s camera captured their escape. This footage later became critical evidence in the case. After the bloody attack, James Whittam and Joseph Pierce fled the scene and checked into a hotel in Street Helens, trying to lay low, but their freedom was short-lived. Detectives closely tracked all their movements.

 The police received a lookout for an Audi Q7, and soon a patrol spotted the suspicious vehicle. Within minutes, both men were in handcuffs.  Open the door.  All right, lads. Keep your hands where you can see him.  Just keep your hands where you can see him.  Can we put you in some ankles? Yeah. What about that side? Just need driver from  Yeah, no bother.

 Just pop a door for us, mate. Until we confirm your identity, we’ll put you in ankles. What’s your name, fell?  Dom just get your driver out and all three will be secure in suspicion of murder. Okay, you don’t have to say anything. I have a defense. You don’t mention my question. Some pictures later in court.  Hello, mate.

 How you doing? Going to put you in cuffs, mate. All right.  What’s your name, fella?  Francis.  Say that again.  Francis Kelly.  Gary.  Francis.  Gary. Francis.  Francis.  Francis. Gary.  Francis. Kelly.  Carrie.  Kelly.  Kelly. It’s all right.  My is your We’ll walk over here, fell.  I’ve got the key. You got anything on you shouldn’t?  No.

 Anything in the vehicle that you shouldn’t be?  Yeah. James. Right. Okay. You’re under arrest for a suspicion of murder. All right. You don’t have to say anything. The may army defense. You don’t mention my question. Anything you do say maybe giving an evidence. All right.  Whatever time was now under we’ll come over here. We’ll sit behind my vehicle.

Yeah,  he’s confirmed that he is James.  Soon it became clear that James Whittam had been behind the wheel. His calm demeanor sharply contrasted with the brutality of the crime. But the police didn’t stop there. They continued tracking down the other two participants in the attack.

 One of the key figures, Nile Barry, who organized the assault, was found at a country golf club in Forby. The operation to arrest him was lightning fast. A special unit blocked all exits, and Barry didn’t manage to flee abroad as he had planned. Soon after, law enforcement also arrested the fourth participant, Shane Zeiss, who had helped plan the murder.

 Once all four men were behind bars, investigators compiled all the evidence into a single case, and by October 2023, the trial began. During the hearings, the main shooter, James Whittam, tried to shift the blame onto circumstances. He claimed he hadn’t intended to kill Ashley and supposedly only wanted to scare her boyfriend by firing a few shots at the house.

 According to him, her death was an accident. But his words rang hollow against the overwhelming evidence, threats, video footage, messages sent before the attack, and countless eyewitness accounts. Ashley screamed in terror as armed men burst into her home. She tried to escape through the back door, but James, holding a Scorpion submachine gun, deliberately opened fire.

 Eight bullets, one of which hit her in the back, left no chance for survival. In November 2023, the court handed down the sentences. The four men were given a total of 173 years in prison. James Whittam life sentence minimum 43 years behind bars. Nile Barry life sentence minimum 47 years. Joseph Pierce life sentence minimum 41 years. Shanez life sentence minimum 42 years.

For Ashley’s family, it was a bittersweet moment. Yes, justice had prevailed, but it wouldn’t bring back their daughter, sister, friend. Her mother said, “My life essentially ended that day.” Those three words, Ashley is gone, extinguished the light in my soul forever. Time stopped for me. If you watch my videos regularly, you know almost every story here ends in tragedy.

But this time, try to imagine for a moment being in Ashley’s mother’s shoes. She had to identify her daughter’s body, choose a coffin, decide what she would wear at the funeral instead of ever seeing her in a wedding dress. That kind of pain is simply unimaginable. And the worst part, this wasn’t the first loss for their family.

 Earlier during gang wars, Ashley’s younger brother, Lewis, had been killed. At the funeral, her father said, “Ashley was the eldest of my three children, and Lewis was the youngest, and now both are gone.” Their youngest sister miraculously survived. She was supposed to spend the night that fatal night at home, but because of a promise she had made earlier, she refused.

 That seemingly random decision saved her life. If things had gone differently, the family would have lost all three children. After Ashley’s death, her family not only openly shared their grief, but also became active voices against gang violence. Despite their unbearable pain, they maintained dignity and strength. The local community didn’t stay silent either.

People organized memorial events, erected monuments, and continued to support the family during this difficult time. And what about Ashley’s boyfriend, Lee? Unfortunately, the answer is complicated. He never faced any punishment and is still free. What’s most infuriating is that even after the death of his girlfriend, killed over drug trafficking, he continues to sell cocaine and heroin, profiting from other people’s misfortune.

 It seems he hasn’t learned anything and simply has no conscience. On top of that, he even posted an insensitive Instagram message. 2 years gone, miss. You were a true fighter. Rest in peace, Miss You. Truly classy Lee. Maybe someone should send him to school to teach him some basic respect. That’s where I’ll end this. I’m really curious what you think about this story.

 Do you think Lee should have been held accountable for Ashley’s death? Thank you for watching my videos. In the meantime, take care of yourselves. Look out for each other and don’t forget to stay safe.