Ashley Benefield is currently on trial in Florida for second-degree murder as a former ballerina. According to Parami News, prosecutors argue that she shot her estranged husband Doug Benefield and killed him during a bitter custody battle “by all means necessary.”
A desperate marriage life
In his tearful testimony last Friday, the 33-year-old said she had been in an abusive marriage. She asserted she had acted in self-defense when she shot dead Doug Benefield at her home in South Tampa on the 27th September of 2020. “I was terrified,” She exclaimed, “I felt he wanted to take my life away.”
In August 2016, this couple met at a political function and then married only thirteen days later. At that time, Ashley was just twenty four years old while Doug was fifty four years old. Within twelve months from their wedding day, Ashley became pregnant and they even tried to start up a ballet company that went bankrupt eventually. Then Ashley relocated to Bradenton FL for her mother’s support throughout her gestation period.
Custody fights
O’Donnell alleged that Ashley decided early in her pregnancy to become a single mother and did not inform Doug about the baby’s growth since then. However, according to Neil Taylor who gave opening remarks for Benefield; this was not true because it is clear that his client left an abusive spouse when she moved down south. “He kept chasing after her even though it was obvious that she didn’t need anything to do with him,” stated Taylor.
In court, Ashley testified against Doug as a violent person and abuser accusing him of punching holes in walls of their residence as well as hurting their dog throwing at her loaded handgun once fired bullet into ceiling during an infuriated outburst.
“Like I was living my worst nightmare,” these were the words of fear echoe by Ashley during cross-examination by Taylor who showed text messages between the couple to buttress his client’s statements.
Ashley sought an injunction against Doug to keep him from seeing their child after her birth. At a hearing in July 2018 she made these allegations but the judge found her testimony unbelievable and granted Doug immediate visitation rights.
In 2020, Ashley claimed that she was planning to relocate to Maryland with her mother who had recently inherited a house there. Doug was also planning on moving. While Taylor argued that this move was part of Doug’s never ending search, O’Donnell submitted it as an unsuccessful attempt for reconciliation and branded Ashley as just a ”ruse.”
During one such visit, he allegedly hit her and choked her daughter; hence. Ashley filed a second injunction accusing him of child abuse. The case related to the injunction was still pending when Doug died.
A psychologist’s report showed that Douglas wanted to have nothing more than drop Ashley’s petition for reconciliation. A psychiatrist contrasting this private statement with those made by Ashley Benefield suggested that it might be an explanation why she shot him. The results were suppose to be out on September 30th three days later after the shooting of Douglas occurred.
The death fight
It was on the 27th of September that the pair argued as they prepared to move. Doug had been hostile towards Ashley when she said that she felt exhausted, she claimed. She wanted to leave but this only worsened the situation. Ashley stated, “he blocked me; he took my hand and pulled me back”. “He asked me ‘where the — are you going?’”
“Doug I’m done and you have to get out right now,” she revealed. Authorities documented her swollen eye which resulted from being hit by Doug in the face. At this point, she reached for her gun.
Ashley fired a shot as Doug moved into a fighting stance. While lunging at her telling her she was “done” standing in the doorway of the room with him. “I started pulling my trigger”, she testified. “He kept coming”.
She ran to a neighbour’s house and reported a shooting incident there upon reaching there. A local hospital declared Doug dead. Ashley was charge with second-degree murder that November.
The trial
“Superficial scratches,” said O’Donnell referring to Ashley’s injuries adding that it could not be prove. If he had attacked when his fatal injury was inflicte upon him. “At no time did Doug Benefield charge at her prior to receiving the fatal wound”, O’Donnell stated. “This mother would win any custody battle at all costs,” O’Donnell added. “Those costs were paid for in blood; it is called murder.”
Trial continues with Ashley Benefield’s defense focusing on self-defense against an abusive spouse. While prosecution maintains that it was a well calculate move by Ashley Benefield to secure full custody of their child.
