Oregon Man Sentenced To Life After Ex-Girlfriend’s Body Was Found In Her Car Following A Drunken Crash

An Oregon man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend, whose body was discovered inside her own vehicle after a drunken rollover crash.

Tyler Holman admitted guilt to second-degree murder in the death of Ashley Gandolfi, who was found on Jan. 5, 2025, according to local reporting by KGW, KPTV and the Salem Statesman Journal. Holman was arrested after a Polk County rollover crash later that month; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison on Jan. 14, 2026.

When deputies inspected the vehicle Holman had been driving, they found Gandolfi’s body inside. Investigators later determined she did not die as a result of the collision; subsequent forensic work concluded she had been killed by a gunshot wound. Prosecutors also said Holman was intoxicated at the time of the crash and that the car belonged to Gandolfi.

The Statesman Journal reported that Holman and Gandolfi had previously been in a relationship and shared a child. Court records cited by the newspaper indicate the child was living with Gandolfi’s parents at the time of her death.

A second defendant in the case later pleaded guilty, in March 2025, to tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse. Holman had originally faced additional counts including a weapons offense, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse; those counts were dismissed after his guilty plea to murder. Under his sentence, Holman will be eligible to seek parole after serving 25 years.

Sources: KGW, KPTV, Salem Statesman Journal and court filings.