23 years in prison for 18-year-old from rural Rhinelander, convicted of killing mother, stepfather

RHINELANDER — A rural Rhinelander teenager will spend 23 years in prison for killing her mother and stepfather.

Eighteen-year-old Ashlee Martinson was sentenced Friday, June 10th. After serving her prison time, Martinson will be on extended supervision for 17 years.

Oneida County District Attorney Michael Schiek asked the judge to sentence Martinson to 40 years in prison. Defense attorneys argued for eight years in prison.

Daily-Herald Media reports Judge Michael Bloom said Martinson had a choice, despite the abusive environments she was forced to live in.

Court documents say Martinson shot her stepfather, 37-year-old Thomas Ayers, and then stabbed her mother, 40-year-old Jennifer Ayers, more than 30 times. The killings happened in March of 2015, when Martinson was 17.

Martinson told authorities she had been mentally and verbally abused by her stepfather.