Beresford Ashley was convicted of fatally slashing his estranged wife in Sept 2016, six months after she broke up with him

A Brooklyn husband was convicted on Thursday of slitting his estranged wife’s throat months after she broke up with him. Beresford Ashley, 55, was found guilty after a jury trial for killing 45-year-old Karen Ashley on Sept. 13, 2016,
The murder occurred six months after their breakup. The victim reportedly, sent him a text ending their relationship, the jilted husband demanded she tell him in person, confronting her at her job and in front of her East New York apartment.
He attacked her and left her dying inside her Nissan Maxima on the corner of Blake Ave. and Drew St., still in her nurse scrubs and with her foot on the break.

45-year-old nurse Karen Ashley, a mother of three ,was found dead with a slash across her throat in her car on Sept. 14, 2016 at her job in Brooklyn, NY. Her estranged husband later copped to the crime

Karen Ashley, a nurse from Brooklyn in a volatile relationship with her estranged husband made a desperate call for help to her roommate moments before her throat was slashed behind the wheel of her own car,
Ashley begged her friend to come outside before she was repeatedly slashed and stabbed by Beresford in her car parked along Blake Ave. in East New York late on Sept 13, 2016. But the friend said she was too late.

Blood is seen on the car where Karen Ashley was found dead behind the wheel with slash wounds to her throat in Brooklyn, in Sept 2016. Her attacker allegedly hid in the backseat before attacking her

“The victim in this case never had a chance to protect herself once this defendant pounced on her and slit her throat,” said acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Diane Russell, the victim’s best friend of 18 years witnessed her estranged husband drive off after finding Karen ‘s lifeless body and called police, prosecutors said.
Russell, 49, testified to receiving a frightened call from Karen, saying that Beresford was stalking her.
“I could hear it in her voice that she was trembling and scared,” Russell said. She then called Beresford, who said  “He felt disrespected because she broke up with him over text and she needs to break up with him in person,” Russell said.
Rushing to the scene, Russell saw Beresford drive away from Karen’s bloodied car.
Another neighbor, Betty Pratt, told police Beresford was hiding in the back seat of his wife’s Maxima before he attacked her.
“She was on the phone. He just cut her throat,” Pratt said. “She didn’t know he was in the back seat at first.”

Diane Russell [right] testified during the trial receiving a frightened call from her late friend Karen Ashley, saying her estranged husband Beresford was stalking her

Prosecutor Sabeeha Madni said Beresford Ashley walked into the 78th precinct station house with his hand bleeding the day after his wife was killed and told cops he had an argument with his wife and may have committed an offense: “I think I committed an offense,” showing no emotion the suspect told cops: “I got in a fight with my wife in her car in front of her place,” according to prosecutors.
He was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Neighbors said the couple have three grown children. Ashley was trying to leave a violent relationship.  “There were signs. But even though they were signs, I didn’t know he would go that far,” Diane Russell said.
“Every time he would come, he’d beg. So she always tried to give him a second chance.”
Defense attorney Martin Goldberg argued unsuccessfully that his client was suffering an extreme emotional episode that made him lose control.
Beresford Ashley faces 25 years to life in prison when he’s sentenced on Dec. 15.