Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina charged with second-degree murder, is currently on trial in Florida. Prosecutors allege she fatally shot her estranged husband, Doug Benefield, during a bitter custody battle, claiming she was determined to win “at all costs,” according to NBC News.
A troubled marriage
Benefield, 33, described herself as a victim of ongoing abuse in her tearful testimony on Friday.She claimed she shot Doug Benefield, 58, in self-defence at her home south of Tampa on 27 September 2020. “I was scared to death,” she testified. “I thought he was going to kill me.”
The couple’s relationship began at a political event in August 2016, and they married just 13 days later. At the time, Doug Benefield was 54, and Ashley Benefield was 24. Within a year, Ashley was pregnant, and the couple attempted to start a ballet company that ultimately failed. Ashley then moved to Bradenton, Florida, to be closer to her mother for support during her pregnancy.
Custody battle
Prosecutor Suzanne O’Donnell claimed Ashley Benefield decided early in her pregnancy to be a single mother and did not keep Doug Benefield informed about the baby’s development. Despite this, Doug continued to pursue their relationship.
An email from 15 March 2018 revealed Doug’s desire to be involved in their child’s life. Ashley gave birth the next day without informing him, O’Donnell said. In his opening statement, Benefield’s lawyer, Neil Taylor, painted a different picture, asserting that Ashley moved to Florida to escape an abusive husband. “She left him, he pursued her,” Taylor said. “She rejected him. He would not take no for an answer.”
In court, Ashley Benefield described Doug as volatile and abusive. She alleged he punched holes in their home’s walls, harmed their dog, threw a loaded handgun at her, and fired a bullet into the ceiling during a threatening outburst.
“I felt like I was living a nightmare,” she said. Taylor introduced text messages between the couple to support his client’s claims.
After their child’s birth, Ashley sought an injunction to prevent Doug from seeing their baby. During a July 2018 hearing, she raised these allegations, but the judge found her testimony lacking credibility and granted Doug immediate visitation rights.
In 2020, Ashley testified she planned to move to Maryland with her mother, who had inherited a home there. Doug intended to move as well. Taylor portrayed this move as part of Doug’s relentless pursuit, while O’Donnell suggested it was a failed attempt at reconciliation, calling Ashley’s involvement a “ruse.”
O’Donnell highlighted a second injunction Ashley sought, accusing Doug of child abuse. Benefield testified that she filed this after her daughter came home with injuries from Doug’s visits. The injunction case was ongoing when Doug was killed.
A psychologist’s evaluation revealed Doug’s stance on reconciliation included dropping Ashley’s petition. Ashley privately contradicted this, which O’Donnell suggested might have motivated the shooting. The evaluation’s findings were due to be revealed on 30 September, three days after Doug was shot.
The fatal confrontation
On 27 September, the couple argued while preparing for the move. Ashley claimed Doug became hostile and “body-checked” her when she expressed exhaustion. The situation escalated as she attempted to leave. “He stopped me, he grabbed me by the hand and yanked me back,” Ashley recounted. “He said, ‘where the f— are you going?’”
“I said, ‘I’m done and you need to leave now,’” she added. Doug struck her in the face, leaving her with a swollen eye documented by authorities. She then grabbed her gun.
When Doug appeared in the room’s doorway and told her she was “done,” Ashley raised the gun, warned him to stop, and fired as he moved into a “fighting stance” and lunged at her. “I started pulling the trigger,” she testified. “He kept coming at me.”
Ashley fled to a neighbour’s house, reporting the shooting. Doug was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Ashley was charged with second-degree murder that November.
The trial
O’Donnell argued that Ashley’s injuries were “superficial scratches” and claimed Doug’s fatal wound was not inflicted while he was attacking. “Doug Benefield was not coming at her at the time the fatal shot was fired,” O’Donnell said. “This was a custody battle that this mother was going to win at all costs,” she added. “The cost was the life of Doug Benefield, and that is murder.”
The trial continues, with Ashley Benefield’s defence focusing on self-defence against an abusive spouse, while the prosecution contends the shooting was a calculated move to secure full custody of their child.
A troubled marriage
Benefield, 33, described herself as a victim of ongoing abuse in her tearful testimony on Friday.She claimed she shot Doug Benefield, 58, in self-defence at her home south of Tampa on 27 September 2020. “I was scared to death,” she testified. “I thought he was going to kill me.”
The couple’s relationship began at a political event in August 2016, and they married just 13 days later. At the time, Doug Benefield was 54, and Ashley Benefield was 24. Within a year, Ashley was pregnant, and the couple attempted to start a ballet company that ultimately failed. Ashley then moved to Bradenton, Florida, to be closer to her mother for support during her pregnancy.
Custody battle
Prosecutor Suzanne O’Donnell claimed Ashley Benefield decided early in her pregnancy to be a single mother and did not keep Doug Benefield informed about the baby’s development. Despite this, Doug continued to pursue their relationship.
An email from 15 March 2018 revealed Doug’s desire to be involved in their child’s life. Ashley gave birth the next day without informing him, O’Donnell said. In his opening statement, Benefield’s lawyer, Neil Taylor, painted a different picture, asserting that Ashley moved to Florida to escape an abusive husband. “She left him, he pursued her,” Taylor said. “She rejected him. He would not take no for an answer.”
In court, Ashley Benefield described Doug as volatile and abusive. She alleged he punched holes in their home’s walls, harmed their dog, threw a loaded handgun at her, and fired a bullet into the ceiling during a threatening outburst.
“I felt like I was living a nightmare,” she said. Taylor introduced text messages between the couple to support his client’s claims.
After their child’s birth, Ashley sought an injunction to prevent Doug from seeing their baby. During a July 2018 hearing, she raised these allegations, but the judge found her testimony lacking credibility and granted Doug immediate visitation rights.
In 2020, Ashley testified she planned to move to Maryland with her mother, who had inherited a home there. Doug intended to move as well. Taylor portrayed this move as part of Doug’s relentless pursuit, while O’Donnell suggested it was a failed attempt at reconciliation, calling Ashley’s involvement a “ruse.”
O’Donnell highlighted a second injunction Ashley sought, accusing Doug of child abuse. Benefield testified that she filed this after her daughter came home with injuries from Doug’s visits. The injunction case was ongoing when Doug was killed.
A psychologist’s evaluation revealed Doug’s stance on reconciliation included dropping Ashley’s petition. Ashley privately contradicted this, which O’Donnell suggested might have motivated the shooting. The evaluation’s findings were due to be revealed on 30 September, three days after Doug was shot.
The fatal confrontation
On 27 September, the couple argued while preparing for the move. Ashley claimed Doug became hostile and “body-checked” her when she expressed exhaustion. The situation escalated as she attempted to leave. “He stopped me, he grabbed me by the hand and yanked me back,” Ashley recounted. “He said, ‘where the f— are you going?’”
“I said, ‘I’m done and you need to leave now,’” she added. Doug struck her in the face, leaving her with a swollen eye documented by authorities. She then grabbed her gun.
When Doug appeared in the room’s doorway and told her she was “done,” Ashley raised the gun, warned him to stop, and fired as he moved into a “fighting stance” and lunged at her. “I started pulling the trigger,” she testified. “He kept coming at me.”
Ashley fled to a neighbour’s house, reporting the shooting. Doug was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Ashley was charged with second-degree murder that November.
The trial
O’Donnell argued that Ashley’s injuries were “superficial scratches” and claimed Doug’s fatal wound was not inflicted while he was attacking. “Doug Benefield was not coming at her at the time the fatal shot was fired,” O’Donnell said. “This was a custody battle that this mother was going to win at all costs,” she added. “The cost was the life of Doug Benefield, and that is murder.”
The trial continues, with Ashley Benefield’s defence focusing on self-defence against an abusive spouse, while the prosecution contends the shooting was a calculated move to secure full custody of their child.