ASHTON KUTCHER HEARTBREAK: 2nd GAL PAL MURDER INVESTIGATION

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ASHTON KUTCHER is struggling to cope with the loss of another possible mur­der of two close ex-GFs!

Sources say the “Two and a Half Men” star has been rocked by recent charges that rat poison may have killed his ex-flame Brittany Murphy.

But the stunning allega­tion has also triggered painful memories of another former girlfriend, Ashley Ellerin, who police suspect was slaugh­tered by a serial killer called the “Hollywood Ripper.”

“Ashton is devastated by the idea that Brittany may have been murdered,” said a colleague of the 35-year-old actor. “And with that news all over the media, he’s been flooded with horrible memo­ries of Ashley’s death.”

Aspiring model Ashley, 22, was savagely stabbed 47 times in her Hollywood Hills bungalow shortly before Kutcher arrived to pick her up for a party in February 2001.

The actor – then starring in the hit sitcom “That ’70s Show” – told police that Ashley never came to the door. He said he looked through a window and saw what he thought was red wine pooled on the floor, but apparently didn’t think much of it and left. Tragically, the “wine” was actually Ashley’s blood.

Kutcher “grieved for years over Ashley. It was a horrible ordeal,” a pal told The ENQUIRER in 2008. “He had nightmares over the kill­ing.”

Air-conditioning repair­man Michael Gargiulo, now behind bars at L.A. County Jail awaiting trial, was eventu­ally charged in Ashley’s death and could be charged with the alleged murders of up to nine other women in Cali­fornia and Illinois.

Less than a year after Ashley’s grisly slaying, Kutcher began dating Brittany while they filmed the romcom “Just Mar­ried,” and he was stunned when she passed away at age 32 in December 2009.

“I don’t know if you (can) try to make sense of it or not,” Kutcher said on ABC’s “Nightline,” adding that Brit­tany “was like the person who walked in the room and she was always the first person to dance.”

The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Brittany died of pneumonia, anemia and prescription drug intoxi­cation.

But according to a lab report commissioned by her father, poten­tially lethal levels of heavy metals found in rat poison were discovered in a sam­ple of Brittany’s hair.

“I absolutely think she was poisoned,” said her father An­gelo Bertolotti, who reportedly believes Brittany was killed by rogue government agents due to her support of a high-profile whistle-blower.

Kutcher, now dating actress Mila Kunis, is devastated by the latest twist, said a source.

“Ashton’s in total shock over this,” revealed the insider.

“He saw Brittany two months before she passed away. She’d come in to read for a TV show he was casting, and he couldn’t get his head around it when she died.

“Ashton loved Brittany and thought she was an incredible talent.

“He’s reached out to her family and offered to help in any way he can to find the truth.”