20/20 Podcast Summary: "Footprints in the Snow"

ABC News – February 14, 2026

Overview

"Footprints in the Snow" explores the tragic and perplexing true crime case of Ashley Schwalm, whose body was found burned inside a car at the bottom of a snowy ravine in Blue Mountain, Ontario. Through investigative reporting, exclusive interviews, and forensic insights, the episode unravels the suspicious circumstances of Ashley’s death, the family’s facade, and ultimately, the unraveling of her husband James Schwalm—revealing a chilling case of premeditated murder beneath the appearance of domestic bliss.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Discovery: A Burning Car and Footprints (00:48–12:45)

• A staff member of the Alpine Ski Club discovers a burning car in a ditch on a harsh January morning.
  • "It was blustery, it was a snowstorm and that’s typical for that area...as he’s driving south, it’s pretty alarming for him to see a bit of an orange glow in the distance." (01:15)
• 911 call at 5:54 AM: Caller, also a volunteer firefighter, reports the car fire and mentions footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle.
• Fire Captain Ryan Martin describes the stubborn nature of the fire and the perplexing absence of a driver in the seat.
  • "The fire behavior wasn’t characteristic of a typical vehicle fire...Every time that we applied water...it would flare back up as if we hadn’t made any progress at all." (05:40)
• Upon extinguishing, responders find a body in the front passenger footwell, initially believed to be a child.

2. Identifying the Victim and Reconstructing the Scene (12:46–24:49)

• Accident reconstructionists find the vehicle’s license plate, linking the car to James Schwalm, a local firefighter.
• Police approach the Schwalm home; neither James nor Ashley are present. Their children are safe.
• Friends and coworkers recount Ashley and James as a model “million dollar family”: active in the community, loving parents, well-connected.
• Family members and sister Lindsay share warm memories of Ashley’s personality and upbringing.
  • "She was just a bubbly, blond haired, cute thing. She was just this spunky, funny kid, full of life." – Lindsay (20:10)

3. The Missing Parents and Mounting Questions (24:50–38:28)

• Both James and Ashley are unaccounted for; police efforts ramp up to locate either parent.
• Eventually, police find James at his part-time job, inform him of Ashley’s death. James appears distraught and emotional.
  • "When you broke the news...he cried. He was emotional, distraught. Tears. Felt very bad for him." (34:40)
• Investigative urgency intensifies since Ashley’s cause of death remains unknown.

4. The Interview: James’ Account and Red Flags (38:29–55:20)

• James tells police that Ashley left for an early-morning hike after a minor argument; claims she left children sleeping at home, which the interviewer finds concerning.
  • "That was really bizarre that she would leave her young kids in the house alone...in the dark in a snowstorm. That didn’t add up to me." (51:20)
• Texts from Ashley’s phone show her complaining about gasoline smell in her car, and another message referencing vertigo.
  • "Oh, I have vertigo. I’m going to rush home and try to do a workout in the basement. I feel like crap, I can’t hike." (53:40)
• James supplies texts, surveillance video, and a map of his supposed walk (his alibi).

5. Forensic Revelations: This Was No Accident (55:21–1:17:19)

• The Centre for Forensic Sciences conducts an autopsy, finding key anomalies:
  • Ashley’s sock and a glove recovered from the car reeked of gasoline.
  • Forensic testing finds gasoline traces in car debris items, but none in Ashley’s lungs or airway—meaning she was dead before the fire.
  • "There was no soot in the airway, which indicated that she was dead before the fire started." – Dr. Belous (1:17:05)
• Injuries to Ashley’s neck indicative of manual or ligature strangulation, not accidental trauma.

6. The Puzzle Pieces: Motive, Planning, and Evidence (1:17:20–1:42:30)

• Family and friends admit Ashley and James’s marriage was troubled post-move to Collingwood; Ashley felt isolated, James was described as controlling and image-focused.
• Affair: Ashley had an affair with her boss; James found out after being confronted by the other man's wife, resulting in rage.
  • "He went bonkers…I’ve never seen anything like it." (1:31:40)
• James’s dissatisfaction grows: fears over alimony, losing children, financial status.
• Life insurance policy on Ashley—$1M payout, plus $250K per child under James’s control.
• James’s internet searches include “alimony”, “can a road flare completely burn”, “can police see deleted phone data”.
• Pre-crime actions: James scopes out the ski club site, creates an alibi via security cameras, texts Ashley to get gas for his snowblower (which he didn’t need), and borrows his mother’s car to facilitate his return post-crime.
• Police retrace James’s "dog walk" route with security videos—he never appears on any footage.
  • "Eight cameras that did not pick up James. Correct. Nobody picked him up. He’s a ghost. He didn’t exist here. We referred to it as the walk that wasn’t." (1:39:10)

7. The Crime Unfolds: The "Running Man" and Staging (1:42:31–1:51:10)

• Police deduce James killed Ashley at home (after a fight overheard by their daughter), staged texts, dressed Ashley to appear as if she went hiking, and drove her body to the mountains in her car.
• James is recorded on surveillance running away from the crash site—the "running man”—after setting the car ablaze using gasoline and his personalized Zippo lighter.
  • "And in the background, you see that eerie glow. It’s the car on fire with Ashley’s body inside." (1:50:10)
• He takes his mother’s car home, parks at the school to avoid suspicion, and returns to his children—who were left alone during the murder and cover-up.

8. The Investigation and Arrest (1:51:11–2:03:56)

• Forensics, phone evidence, dashcam footage, and the devastating eye-/ear-witness account from the Schwalm’s young son (Ashley asking desperately for a phone to call 911 amidst a fight) make the case.
• Police arrest James, exercising care not to spark further danger to the children.
  • "He was hoping, I think, that this would just somehow go away still." (2:02:45)
• James Schwalm is charged with first-degree murder (punishable up to life, parole after 25 years in Canada).

9. Aftermath: The Family, Community, and Justice (2:03:57–end)

• The crime shocks the tight-knit Collingwood-Blue Mountain community; Ashley’s family and friends grieve deeply.
  • "Just their whole world in a one evening was ripped away from them. No mom, no dad. And then having to…stare at your dad who’s killed your mom." (2:05:18)
• James ultimately pleads guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to strangling Ashley, dressing her in hiking clothes, and staging the fire.
  • "He did agree that she was strangled and they set her and the car on fire. He agreed that he dressed her in hiking clothing beforehand. This is a level of premeditation..." (2:17:15)
• Family and friends deliver 21 victim impact statements in court.
  • "She had the kindest heart. And I hope everyone can get a sense of who she was. Her smile, her love for life was unmatched." – Lindsay (2:20:10)
• Judge sentences James Schwalm to life in prison, eligible for parole after 20 years.
• Ashley’s legacy honored through fundraising for domestic violence prevention, and a community hike in her memory.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Scene:
  • "It looks like there’s footprints in the snow." – 911 Caller (02:08)
  • "Emergency responders dealing with a very sort of weird and unusual event." (05:05)
• Family Memories:
  • "She was the most beautiful bride. You could just tell in her smile and her eyes that she was living everything she thought it would be." – Lindsay (21:45)
• Red Flags:
  • "That was really bizarre that she would leave her young kids in the house alone to go for a hike. Like, that's just...to me, that’s not happening in the dark in a snowstorm. That didn’t add up to me." (51:20)
• Forensic Smoking Gun:
  • "There was no soot in the airway, which indicated that she was dead before the fire started." – Dr. Belous (1:17:05)
• On Premeditation:
  • "He needed a snowstorm to fit what he was doing. Fewer vehicles are out on the roadway when you have a big snowstorm." (1:41:00)
• Alibi Collapse:
  • "Eight cameras that did not pick up James. Correct. Nobody picked him up. He’s a ghost. He didn’t exist here. We referred to it as the walk that wasn’t." (1:39:10)
• Emotional Impact:
  • "Just their whole world in a one evening was ripped away from them. No mom, no dad. And then having to go on the stand and stare at your dad who’s killed your mom. Like, absolutely not." – Lindsay (2:05:18)
• On Justice:
  • "What was your statement to him? That you tried to get away with something and we're not stupid. We caught you." – (2:21:20)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:48 | Discovery of the burning vehicle & 911 call | | 05:40 | Firefighting details – unusual fire behavior | | 12:46 | Police ID car owner, connect to James Schwalm | | 20:10 | Family describes Ashley’s character | | 34:40 | Police inform James of Ashley’s death | | 51:20 | Investigation questions James’s alibi | | 1:17:05 | Forensic scientist concludes cause of death | | 1:31:40 | Discovery of Ashley’s affair | | 1:39:10 | “The walk that wasn’t” – failed alibi | | 1:50:10 | "Running man" surveillance, car ignited | | 2:02:45 | James’s arrest | | 2:17:15 | Guilty plea and agreement of facts | | 2:20:10 | Family statements about Ashley’s legacy |

Conclusion

"Footprints in the Snow" is a compelling and devastating portrait of the dangers lurking within perceived domestic harmony. With chilling methodical planning, James Schwalm killed Ashley, staged her death, and left their children parentless. Through meticulous investigation, forensic innovation, and the tireless efforts of Ashley’s friends and family, the truth prevailed—and Ashley’s memory inspires ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence.