WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — One of four suspects in a horrific murder in May has been granted a lower bond.

Ashley Esselborn, 21, was the last of the four defendants in the alleged murder of Zachary Wood to be arrested.

She was jailed on May 24 on a $1 million bond.

Her attorney Dustin Nimz filed a writ of habeas corpus for a lower bond and on Monday, July 25, 30th District Judge Jeff McKnight granted the motion and lowered her bond to $100,000.

At last check, Esselborn had not bonded out.

McKnight set numerous conditions to being released on bond, including reporting weekly to the probation department; no traveling outside the county without permission of the court; following a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. seven days a week, unless when meeting with her attorney or receiving medical care;
wear a GPS monitor at all times; have no contact of any kind with any codefendant or witness in the case, and possess no weapons.

The three other defendants charged with Wood’s murder remain jailed on $1 million bonds. One of them, William Bell, has a bond hearing set for Friday.

The arrest affidavit for Esselborn states she was at the residence in the 2100 block of Brown Street during the assault on Wood.

According to police, when another suspect, Payton Collier gave her statement confessing to the murder and identifying Ronnie Lang and Bell as suspects, she was asked about a second female that was at the house.
Authorities said Collier identified the second female as Ashley, but did not know her last name, and said she was Bell’s girlfriend.

Collier told them Esselborn did not assault Wood but said she cheered them on while they were assaulting him.

Collier also told police that Esselborn was yelling at Wood, asking him where missing
stuff was (allegedly drugs).

Police say Esselborn gave a statement admitting she was at the house when Wood was assaulted.
Esselborn then told police Lang came into the room and began assaulting Wood, then she and Bell left the house but later returned.

The affidavit said Esselborn told them later, that she and Bell drove toward Burkburnett and discarded bloody items they were in possession of.

Police also obtained a statement from a cooperating witness who said she overheard Esselborn bragging after the assault that she didn’t go to jail, and that she had also put hands on Wood that night