Throughout history there have been cases of eerie coincidences that defy logic. Among the most crazy is the tragic murders of Mary Ashford in 1817 and Barbara Forrest in 1974. Separated by 157 years, these crimes share uncanny similarities, from the date of the murder to the circumstances of the victims’ deaths. 

Mary Ashford was a 20-year-old woman from Erdington, a district in Birmingham, England. On May 26, 1817 she attended a Whitsun Monday dance at the Tyburn House Inn with her close friend Hannah Cox. 

At the event she spent much of the evening in the company of a young man named Abraham Thornton. The two left the dance together in the early morning hours of May 27. Around 4 a.m. Mary was seen alone at Hannah’s house, where she changed into different clothes and left shortly after.

Later that morning a laborer discovered Mary’s bloodstained clothing and belongings near a water-filled pit in Pype Hayes Park. A deeper search led to the discovery of her lifeless body submerged in the water. 

Signs of struggle, injuries consistent with strangulation, and evidence of sexual assault pointed to foul play. Authorities immediately suspected Abraham Thornton, as he was the last known person to have been with Mary. Thornton was arrested and brought to trial, but due to conflicting witness testimonies and lack of conclusive evidence, he was acquitted.

The verdict caused public outrage leading to an unusual legal proceeding: the case was reopened through an archaic English law called ‘trial by battle,’ where Thornton had the right to challenge Mary’s brother to a physical duel. He accepted, but Mary’s brother declined the fight, forcing the case to be abandoned. Thornton later emigrated to the United States and Mary’s murder remained unsolved.

Fast forward to May 27, 1974—exactly 157 years to the day after Mary Ashford’s death—when another young woman, Barbara Forrest, vanished in very similar circumstances. Barbara also 20 years old lived in Erdington and worked at a children’s home. 

On the evening of May 26th she had been out socializing with friends and her boyfriend. She was last seen walking home after a night out.

Days later, her body was discovered in Pype Hayes Park—the same area where Mary Ashford had been found in 1817. Like Mary, Barbara had been sexually assaulted and strangled. 

The similarities were impossible to ignore: both women were the same age, both were last seen on May 26th both were found dead on May 27th, both suffered near-identical causes of death, and both bodies were discovered in the same location.

Authorities arrested a man named Michael Thornton (no relation to Abraham Thornton from the 1817 case), who worked at the same children’s home as Barbara. While some evidence pointed to his involvement, the prosecution lacked definitive proof, and he was ultimately acquitted due to insufficient evidence. To this day, no one has been held accountable for Barbara’s murder.

The extraordinary similarities between the two cases have sparked countless theories. Could this be a case of coincidence, or is there something more sinister at play? 

Some believe the location itself may have an unknown danger, while others speculate about a strange historical pattern, suggesting that the two murders could be connected through a deeper, unexplored link.

What do you think?

Paranormal enthusiasts argue that history may have repeated itself due to an unresolved spiritual force, suggesting that Barbara’s death was a ghostly echo of Mary’s murder. Others lean toward more practical explanations, such as Erdington being a crime-prone area or the possibility that both women were simply victims of opportunistic criminals.

Despite numerous investigations, forensic advancements, and public interest, both cases remain unsolved mysteries. 

Truly one of the craziest coincidences of all time? 

Or is there some sort of supernatural force at play?