What charges has Travis Collins faced and what is the current status of his case?
Executive summary
Travis Collins has been charged in Dauphin County with murder for the August 2023 beating and strangulation death of Ashley Sarazen, and prosecutors later added sexual-offense charges including forcible rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI) based on a forensic exam [1] [2]. As of late August 2025, Collins was on trial in Dauphin County — jury selection had occurred and testimony and closing stages were reported, but the sources do not report a final verdict or sentencing [3] [4] [5].
1. The formal charges against Collins: murder and related sexual-offense counts
Dauphin County authorities charged Collins with murder in connection with the Aug. 2023 death of 38‑year‑old Ashley Sarazen at the Harrisburg Hilton, alleging he beat and strangled her [1] [3]. After a forensic pathologist examined the victim and identified injuries the Commonwealth described as compatible with sexual assault, prosecutors added forcible rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (forcible IDSI) to the murder charge; local reporting and court documents confirm those added counts [2] [6].
2. The prosecution’s narrative and key evidence presented so far
Police accounts and trial reporting describe investigators finding Collins with blood on his hands at the hotel scene and allege he punched Sarazen multiple times and strangled her after discovering her going through his wallet—allegations the Commonwealth used to frame a violent, fatal encounter [3] [1]. News reports covering the 2025 trial also emphasize physical evidence highlighted by prosecutors—such as the hotel room’s landline and a sex‑themed coin claimed by police to link Collins to the scene—that they presented to jurors during proceedings [4].
3. Court status as reported: trial underway, no final disposition in available reporting
Local coverage from late August 2025 makes clear Collins was in court for a jury trial in Dauphin County, with jury selection underway and testimony heard over multiple days; one outlet noted the trial “is expected to continue” and described defense strategy and witness developments, but none of the provided sources reports a verdict or sentencing outcome [3] [4] [5]. Reporting that the defense did not present witnesses by the close of a four‑day trial was published, indicating the case had moved into the prosecution’s and jury’s final deliberative phases as of that coverage [5].
4. Where public reporting leaves gaps and how alternative interpretations appear
News outlets quoted police and prosecutors and described physical and testimonial evidence, but the public reporting does not include trial transcripts, the full set of exhibits, or a jury verdict record in the provided sources, so it is not possible from these articles alone to confirm the totality of evidence or the jury’s final finding [4] [3] [5]. Defense assertions, motions, or exculpatory theories are only briefly described in news summaries; readers should note local outlets may foreground prosecution narratives because those details are often available at arraignment and trial, while defense strategy can be less visible in early coverage [1] [5].
5. Potential for name confusion and why verifying court records matters
Public records searches show other individuals named Travis Collins appear in unrelated criminal dockets in different jurisdictions, including a conviction and sentencing timeline in Washington state reported separately, underscoring a risk of conflating cases without careful source checks [7] [8]. Therefore, definitive confirmation of charges, trial outcomes, and sentencing in the Harrisburg case requires checking official Dauphin County court records or later reporting that explicitly states the jury’s verdict or a judgment of sentence; the articles provided do not supply that final disposition [3] [4].