SPENCER ASHING - 19 yo (2010) - Milton DE

Michael Milo Hudson of Milton has been
arrested by the State Police and charged with 1st degree murder. Police
went to Hudson’s Russell Street home this morning in reference to a
missing person report on his son, 19 year old Spencer Ashing. In the
back of the property police found a body beneath a tarp and brush.
Hudson was taken into custody – and also found with a .357 revolver.

After receiving a warrant for a search
of the home, police found inside a piece of carpeting laid over the wall
to wall carpet – and covering a blood stain.

Court papers say the human remains have
not yet been identified because of extreme decomposition, however it is
believed to be the missing teen.

Just over a month ago, Milo
Hudson contacted WGMD, a local NewsTalk radio station, about his missing son. He ended his email with
these words on Feb 23, 2010…

Thanks and God Bless and if you believe in the power of
prayer, please pray for my son.
Respectfully
Michael Milo Hudson

Delaware State Police say a Milton man has been charged with killing his
19-year-old son after the teen's remains were found on his property.

A police affidavit states that Spencer Ashing's body was found Friday
under a tarp and brush and covered with a powder that appeared to be
lime. An autopsy showed that the teen, who was reported missing last
month, died from multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma.

Ashing's father, 58-year-old Michael Hudson, was charged Friday with
first-degree murder after police say detectives investigating his son's
disappearance found the body. Police say they found what appeared to be a
"significant blood stain" under a carpet remnant in Hudson's living
room.

Hudson was being held without bail. A preliminary hearing is set for
Thursday.

Spencer Ashing loved to make people laugh.
The 19-year-old Milton resident was best known to friends and
neighbors for his unrelenting sense of humor, intelligence and knowing
smile -- a stark contrast to the events surrounding his tragic death."For damn sure, no one
could have seen this coming," said his neighbor, Brian Robbins. "Sure,
no kids are perfect, but he was a great kid and was always very polite
to me. ... He just seemed to get along with everyone."On Friday morning, Ashing's body was found in a
wooded area near his Milton home, riddled with gunshot wounds and
covered by brush and a tarp, Delaware State Police said.His father, Michael Hudson, 58, was arrested that
same day. He was found to be in possession of a .357-caliber revolver
and was charged with first-degree murder.Timothy Davidson, a family friend, said Ashing was a
loving, excitable boy.His
father, on the other hand, was prone to strong reactions."He was a good little
kid, always very happy about being with people," he said. "He was
extremely nice, but his dad was a little extreme at times."Ashing was reported
missing by his mother Feb. 4. According to the arrest affidavit, Hudson
told police his son would leave sometimes for up to 12 days, but "always
returns home."Hudson
also told investigators that Ashing was upset the night before he
vanished because the two were watching a television show about homeless
people and Hudson said "he did not know if they would be able to live in
their home," the affidavit said.Cape Henlopen School District officials said Ashing
was a high school student there, but had not attended classes since
October 2009."He
was a comic relief for us," said Jen Orlando, general manager of Irish
Eyes Pub in Milton, where Ashing was previously employed. "He always
made us laugh and had such an intelligent mind. You wouldn't think
anything but good things about (him)."Tessa Techentine, a classmate, said she'll always
remember him as being the center of attention in a crowd."He could be friends
with anybody because he loved making people laugh," she said. "I know he
loved the beach, too."

Spencer Ashing, 19, was best known to friends and neighbors for his
unrelenting sense of humor -- a stark contrast to the events surrounding
his tragic death.
"For damn sure no one could have seen this coming," said his
neighbor, Brian Robbins. "Sure, no kids are perfect, but he was a great
kid and was always very polite to me ... He just seemed to get along
with everyone."On March 26, Ashing's partially decomposed body
was discovered in a wooded area near his Milton home. The autopsy
revealed that he died from multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force
trauma, said police Senior Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh of the Delaware State
Police.His father, 58-year-old Michael M. Hudson of 14350 Russell
St., was arrested that same day and charged with first-degree murder.
He was found to be in possession of a .357 revolver.Jen Orlando,
general manager of Irish Eyes Pub in Milton, where Ashing was previously
employed, said the teenager's death came as a surprise."He was a
comic relief for us," she said. "He always made us laugh and had such
an intelligent mind. You wouldn't think anything but good things about
(him)."Ashing had been missing since Feb. 3 and a missing
person's report was taken Feb. 12, police said. His remains were
discovered in the back of Hudson's property "under a tarp and brush" and
covered with a "white powdered substance that appeared to be lime,"
according to the police affidavit.Hudson told police he last saw
his son on Feb. 12, when Ashing got on a school bus and didn't return
home, according to the affidavit. Hudson also told police that his son
had left home before -- sometimes for more than a week -- but always
returned, the papers say.Timothy Davidson, a family friend, said
Ashing was a loving, excitable boy, but his father was prone to strong
reactions."He was a good little kid, always very happy about
being with people," he said. "He was extremely nice, but his dad was a
little extreme at times."Cape Henlopen School District officials
said Ashing was enrolled in the high school, but had not attended
classes since October 2009.Tessa Techentine, a classmate, said
she'll remember him because he was always the center of attention."He
could be friends with anybody because he loved making people laugh,"
she said. "I know he loved the beach, too."

Hudson pleads not guilty in son's death
By Kevin Spence | Jul 29, 2010

A Milton man, who was charged in March with killing his 19-year-old son, pleaded not guilty Wednesday, July 28, in Sussex County Superior Court.
More on Ashing murder »

At his arraignment, Michael Milo Hudson also requested a jury trial.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:W0NmDWv-eWcJ:capegazette.villagesoup.com/p/8938+Michael+Milo+Hudson+Milton+DE&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

Milton Man Convicted of Murder


Jun 27, 2011
GEORGETOWN, Del.- After about two hours of deliberation, a Sussex County jury on Tuesday found a Milton man guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his teenage son last year.In addition to being convicted of murder, 59-year-old Michael "Milo" Hudson was also found guilty of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony and abuse of a corpse.

Delaware State Police said they found the body of Hudson's son, 19-year-old Spencer Ashing, lying under a tarp behind his father's Milton home on Russell Street in March 2010. Roughly one month earlier, Ashing's mother had reported him as missing.

An autopsy showed Ashing died of multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma. Court documents show police found blood on the carpet inside Hudson's home and subsequent testing proved it was human blood.


During closing arguments Tuesday, Hudson's public defenders called his actions a series of "lies and mistakes" but said he never intended to murder his son.

Hudson took the witness stand at one point in the trial claiming his actions were in self defense. The move apparently was not enough for the jury.

Ashing was a former student at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. Hudson worked as a part-time custodian at H.O. Brittingham Elementary School in Milton but the length of employment is unclear.

Hudson's arrest came several weeks after he contacted a local radio station and Ashing's friends seeking help finding his son. Friends said the two often had a rocky relationship.

Hudson's attorney, Robert Robinson, declined to comment after the verdict.

With the first-degree murder conviction, Hudson will likely face life in prison.

Sussex Superior Court Judge Richard Stokes has not yet set a sentencing date.
http://www.wboc.com/story/14906153/sussex-county-man-convicted-of-murdering-teenage-son?clienttype=printable

snipped....


Friends, family, neighbors and school offcials took the stand disputing allegations that Ashing had a violent nature – and that Hudson had a violent nature. While Ashing grew up with his mother – as a teenager he went back and forth between his parent’s homes and he’d just moved back in with Hudson a short while before his death. The Attorney General’s office tells WGMD that sentencing is set for August 12. Hudson faces the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.



http://www.wgmd.com/?p=26914

BREAKING: Michael Hudson Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole

AUG 18, 2011

The Milton man found guilty two months ago of shooting his son to death and then burying his body in the back yard in February of 2010 has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Judge Richard Stokes handed down that sentence this morning to Michael “Milo” Hudson in Superior Court in Georgetown.

During his trial in June, Hudson claimed he acted in self defense in killing 19-year-old Spencer Ashing. Hudson says the two had a tumultuous relationship.

During sentencing today, Ashing’s mother and aunt said they miss Spencer’s passion for life.

Hudson meantime, told the court that he missises his son “every hour of every day.”

===============================================================================

UPDATED STORY by Kelli Steele 8.19.11 6 a.m.: Michael “Milo” Hudson will be sentenced this morning in Sussex County Superior Court.

He will be sentenced by Judge Richard Stokes at 9:30 in Courtroom 2.

Hudson was found guilty in the first degree murder of his 19 year old son Spencer Ashing. Ashing’s body was found in Hudson’s backyard in Milton.

The prosecution did not seek the death penalty, but Hudson faces the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

http://www.wgmd.com/?p=32524