She was a graceful ballerina who danced on stages around the world. He was a loving husband who supported her dreams. They seemed to have a fairy tale romance, until one night, a gunshot shattered their lives. Ashley Benefield claimed she shot her husband, Doug Benefield, in self-defense, after he attacked her in their Florida home.
But the state says she was not in imminent danger, and that she killed him in cold blood. Now, she faces a second-degree murder charge and a possible life sentence. What really happened on that fateful night? How did a ballet star become a murder suspect? And what will the jury decide? This is the story of From Black Swan to Black Widow: The Murder Trial of Ashley Benefield.
The Crime of Ashley Benefield
On September 27, 2020, Ashley Benefield called 911 and reported that she had shot her husband, Doug Benefield, in their home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. She claimed that he had attacked her and that she acted in self-defense. However, the evidence at the scene did not support her story.
According to the arrest affidavit, Doug Benefield was found lying on the floor of the master bedroom, with two gunshot wounds to his chest. He was unarmed and there were no signs of a struggle. Ashley Benefield had no visible injuries and did not request medical attention. She told the deputies that she had shot her husband with a handgun that she had retrieved from a closet.
The investigation revealed that Ashley and Doug Benefield were in the process of a divorce and had a history of domestic disputes. They had a 4-year-old daughter, who was not present at the time of the shooting. Ashley Benefield had accused her husband of abusing her and their daughter, but the allegations were never substantiated. She had also obtained several restraining orders against him, but they were either dismissed or expired.
The Delay of Ashley Benefield’s Trial
Ashley Benefield’s trial for the murder of her husband, Doug Benefield, was supposed to begin on November 29, 2023, at the Manatee County Courthouse in Florida. However, the trial has been postponed indefinitely, due to an appeal filed by Ashley Benefield’s defense team. They are challenging the judge’s ruling that denied her motion to dismiss the murder charge based on Florida’s “stand your ground” law.
Ashley Benefield claims that she shot her husband, Doug Benefield, in self-defense, after he attacked her in their home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, on September 27, 2020. She faces a possible life sentence if convicted of second-degree murder. She has pleaded not guilty and maintains that she acted in self-defense. The state argues that Ashley Benefield had a motive to kill her husband, as she wanted to prevent him from having custody or visitation rights with their daughter.
They also contend that she was not in imminent danger and that she used excessive and unjustified force against her unarmed husband. They have presented evidence that Ashley Benefield had researched how to get away with murder online and that she had deleted her browsing history and text messages after the shooting.
They have also challenged the testimony of the forensic psychologist who diagnosed Ashley Benefield with post-traumatic stress disorder and battered woman syndrome. Ashley Benefield’s defense team filed a motion to dismiss the murder charge, based on Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which allows a person to use deadly force in self-defense, without a duty to retreat, if they reasonably believe that they are in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.
However, the judge denied the motion, ruling that Ashley Benefield was not justified in using deadly force against her husband and that she had to stand trial for second-degree murder. Ashley Benefield’s defense team appealed the judge’s ruling to the Second District Court of Appeal, arguing that the judge erred in applying the law and the facts of the case. They claim that Ashley Benefield was a victim of domestic violence and that she feared for her life when she shot her husband.
They assert that Doug Benefield had a history of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies. They also cite the testimony of the forensic psychologist who diagnosed Ashley Benefield with post-traumatic stress disorder and battered woman syndrome. The appeal is pending before the Second District Court of Appeal, and the date of the trial is uncertain.
The trial is expected to be a high-profile and contentious one, as both sides will present conflicting evidence and testimony about the nature of the Benefields’ relationship, the events of the night of the shooting, and the credibility of Ashley Benefield’s claim of self-defense.
Bottom Line
In the murder trial of Ashley Benefield, the jury will ultimately determine whether she was a black swan who cold-bloodedly killed her husband or a black widow who acted in self-defense against a deadly attack, as conflicting evidence and testimony about their relationship and the night of the shooting will be presented. The outcome of the trial holds high stakes, as Benefield faces a possible life sentence if convicted of second-degree murder.
