Ashley Michelle Zorn, 34, of Lusby
UPDATE 11/2/2018: Ashley Michelle Zorn, 34 of Lusby, was arrested on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear for a theft, and theft scheme by Cpl. Kerby, of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
The theft case Zorn failed to appear in court was for a theft in July of this year at the Target in California, where police say Zorn stole forty women’s bathing suits, one laundry basket and five women’s dresses, for total of $1,074.
In that case Zorn explained to police that she has mental health issues and doesn’t know why she took so many bathing suits except because of her mental health issues.
UPDATE 10/16/2018: Shortly after the article below on Ashley Michelle Zorn, 34, of Lusby, was Facebooked, Zorn posted a number of very lengthy comments on the SMNEWSNET Facebook page. Zorn said “Let me clarify a few things up for everybody”
Below are a few paragraphs from one of many posts from Ashley Zorn’s Facebook account:
Despite the stigma I am not ashamed to admit that I have bipolar disorder and I have for 13 years. Those of you who want to question my record you can see that I was very Reckless and my young teenage years due to not being diagnosed until my early twenties which I started medication for 10 years and as you can see I wasn’t in trouble with the law for a long time.
Do to multiple triggers over two days trying to prepare for yard sale and not sleeping.. resulted my hypomania to turn into a full-blown manic episode that leads me to be extremely impulsive and have irrational thoughts and behaviors just to feel relief. I am not making excuses for what I did because my actions will always have consequences and hurt others.. and a year ago I was at the worst place having my first manic episode I ever experienced that led two bad choices and decisions but also led me to treatment and therapy that I have actively been in for a year and a half.
My heart goes out to the families that are hurt & although I did not have those thoughts for the empathy of the time when I was doing it.. doesn’t mean that I don’t have self-reflection after I come out of a manic state and don’t have those feelings because I do.
Ashley Michelle Zorn, 34, of Lusby
Here is one of her many posts from the SMNEWSNET Facebook page (unedited):
Let me clarify a few things up for everybody this is Ashley Zorn and what I did was very wrong.. but until you know my perspective please stop passing judgement upon me on the internet because it’s people like you.. that trigger people that have mental illnesses to become irrational. Despite the stigma I am not ashamed to admit that I have bipolar disorder and I have for 13 years. Those of you who want to question my record you can see that I was very Reckless and my young teenage years due to not being diagnosed until my early twenties which I started medication for 10 years and as you can see I wasn’t in trouble with the law for a long time. After being attacked 2 years ago I developed PTSD which has evolved my bipolar 2 and 2 bipolar 1 with extreme long lasting manic episodes which I experienced my second one the weekend that I stole these Halloween decorations. I have no intent on hurting anyone or stealing from anyone because I was only there to do a porch pick up from the marketplace and decided to walk to get some fresh air and clear my mind. Do to multiple triggers over two days trying to prepare for yard sale and not sleeping.. resulted my hypomania to turn into a full-blown manic episode that leads me to be extremely impulsive and have irrational thoughts and behaviors just to feel relief. I am not making excuses for what I did because my actions will always have consequences and hurt others.. and a year ago I was at the worst place having my first manic episode I ever experienced that led two bad choices and decisions but also led me to treatment and therapy that I have actively been in for a year and a half. Despite my intense Outpatient Treatment, you cannot be snapped out of it.. it ends when it ends. I am not a thug and I do not do drugs nor drink just like I keep being called by Marilyn Marlowe. I am simply a single mom you was dealt with living with a mental illness while caring for to children, one who is special needs and I’m a hell of a parent and advocate for my children and yes they do have a lot of things and know those things were not stolen because before my episodes of mania you are able to lead a stable normal life which I did and I worked.. & had a long-term boyfriend which is no longer. I didn’t go into that neighborhood with any intentions to steal from anyone.. I was in a bad place and not in the right State of Mind and had very little control over my actions. For that I am sorry for but I’m not going to sit here and be ridiculed on Facebook and made out to be somebody that I’m not because I am human, a decent person with a good heart that helps anyone with a smile on my face. I was just sick at the moment even though it is not a physical disability it’s just the same when it comes to mental illness & living with bipolar even throw your compliant with all treatment. My heart goes out to the families that are hurt & although I did not have those thoughts for the empathy of the time when I was doing it.. doesn’t mean that I don’t have self-reflection after I come out of a manic state and don’t have those feelings because I do. Despite what the report says I was not selling any Halloween decorations that I had taken.. being a single mom again and unable to work until my mental health gets fully stabilized.. money was tight for me and I Was preparing for yard sale for 2 days prior to me even taking those decorations. And the back of my mind I just went up my boys to have Halloween decorations outside since we’ve never really done that and the decorations were in my shed.. and I set up for 5. Corporations around my house to decorate but not one thing that I take was part of my yard sale. I don’t need a whole bunch of comments back because I believe you guys have said enough.. & you’re entitled to your opinions but to continue to kick somebody weather already down only makes you a bad person.. intentionally. My actions or unexcusable but they were not intentional and I need to make that clear to everyone. I would appreciate the nasty comments and messages that people have been sending me because I’m still dealing with the situation and I’m emotionally affected and devastated just as much as the victims are because at times I’m a victim to myself. Please stop with the nasty comments & private messages so I can focus on my treatment, my children and moving forward with my life. For the ones that still feel the need to bash me and say whatever is going to come next.. that’s because you’re ignorant to mental illness and maybe you need to educate yourself some before you continue the path of using your words to destroy people. Again to any victim that I caused heartache confusion anger and pain upon I am sincerely sorry.. my actions were not malicious towards any of you they were malicious towards myself and my inability to control myself. For the rest of you that are not victims.. I’m sorry that you feel the way you do but please do not contact me and leave me any more nasty messages because it this point it turning into harassment.
10/12/2018: On Saturday, October 6, 2018, multiple deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the neighborhood of Challenger Estates, in California, for reported thefts of Halloween decorations and other items.
There were numerous victims who reported multiple Halloween decorations had been stolen during the overnight hours between 10/5/18 and 10/6/18.
Ashley Michelle Zorn, 34, of Lusby, was identified as the thief, after she was captured on video surveillance via a Ring Doorbell camera and it was posted on social media.
Deputies responded to Zorn’s residence in Lusby for questioning, and upon arriving they observed several of the stolen items in her front yard, for sale. Photographs of the items were taken and shown to the suspected victims/owners, and they positively identified the items as theirs.
A search and seizure warrant was obtained and executed for Zorn’s address and multiple stolen items were recovered. Zorn was questioned by detectives and she admitted to stealing the items from the victims in Challenger Estates. During the execution of the search warrant, Zorn began helping detectives by pointing out the items she had stolen.
A criminal summons was issued for Zorn on October 11, 2018 charging her with (16 counts) theft less than $100, (5 counts) theft $100 to less than $1,500 and (1 count) theft scheme $1,500 to $25,000.
Zorn is scheduled in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court for her preliminary hearing in November 30, 2018.
Investigation revealed Ashley Michelle Zorn, stole the following items:
Victim 1 – Crippen Street
- Spanish Skull with Roses
- Candelabra
- Worth an estimated $50.00
- Victim 2 – McBride Street
- Orange pumpkin door sign
- Witch ornament
- Garden flag and post
- Ghost on a wooden post
- Solar lights
- Worth an estimated $50.00
- Victim 3 – McBride Street
- Welcome door mat
- “Welcome to our patch” sign
- Sunflower decoration
- Worth an estimated $80.00
- Victim 4 – McAuliffe Street
- Small bag of toys
- worth an estimated $5.00
- Victim 5 – Wildwood Drive
- Scarecrow with orange hat and Green pants
- worth an estimated $40.00
- Victim 6 – Scobee Street
- Concrete hand painted turtle
- worth an estimated $70.00
- Victim 7 – Scobee Street
- (4) Planters
- (2) Ferns
- Worth an estimated $150.00
- Victim 8 – Scobee Street
- Black antique stove
- worth an estimated $400.00
- Victim 9 – S Wildewood Dr. California, MD 20619
- Clown on plastic stake
- Zombie on plastic stake
- (5) Plastic tombstones
- Witches feet sign ” If the shoe fits”
- Cat head
- (2) Plastic Hands
- Worth an estimated $120.00
- Victim 10 – Wildewood Drive
- Skeleton
- worth an estimated $70.00
- Victim 11 – Scobee Street
- Hitching post
- worth an estimated $25.00
- Victim 12 – Wildewood Drive
- Football yard sign
- (2) Plant stands
- worth an estimated $40.00
- Victim 13 – Wildewood Drive
- (2) Wooden butterflies
- (2) Garden gnomes
- Worth an estimated $10.00
- Victim 14 – Gregory Street
- Projector light
- Star shower slide show
- Green extension cord
- worth an estimated $100.00
- Victim 15 – Scobee Street
- (2) Fall decorative throw pillows (Brown/Orange/Turquoise)
- worth an estimated $25.00
- Victim 16 – Wildewood Drive
- Yellow glass light up flower
- worth an estimated $20.00
- Victim 17 – Scobee Street
- Mexican style decorative pot with plant
- Wooden stool and table for a pot
- Rectangle, welcome sign
- worth an estimated $100.00
- Victim 18 – Gregory Street
- Flower pot welcome sign
- Wire rack table
- (2) Flowers
- worth an estimated $100.00
- Victim 19 – Gregory Drive
- Large Orange and Black spider
- worth an estimated $30.00
- Victim 20 – McAuliffe Street
- Hampton Bay Patio side table
- worth an estimated $45.00
- Victim 21 – Wildwood Drive
- (2) Tiki torches
- three tier welcome sign
- scarecrow on a pole
- worth an estimated $50.00
- Victim 22 – Scobee Street
- Black Cat decoration
- Skeleton
- worth an estimated 25.00
