Florida: Did Ashley Benefield Kill Her Husband Doug?

Their love affair started stormily and ended horribly: In September 2020, then-28-year-old former ballerina Ashley Benefield killed her husband Doug with three shots. She says he threatened her a short time ago — but the state attorney’s office is charging her with murder. Motive: She no longer wants him in her and her daughter’s life.

According to The Post and Courier Center, “This case is about a woman who decided early in her pregnancy to be a mother,” Assistant District Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell said in her opening statement to the jury at the Manatee County Judicial. “And she did not want the child’s father to have access rights … and she did nothing to achieve this goal.” However, Ashley’s defense attorney argues that Doug killed her in self-defense after attacking her.

But how does such a rift occur between couples? Ashley and Doug’s relationship got off to a stormy start: The two met at a Republican fundraiser in 2016 and married 13 days later. Within a year, Doug had his vasectomy reversed so the couple could have a baby. A short time later, Ashley became pregnant.

They also founded a ballet school with the aim of recruiting dancers who did not conform to the classic physical ideal. But the plan didn’t work – and things went sour in the relationship. Ashley moved to Florida with her mother in 2017 and the two have only had a long-distance relationship since then. Ashley reportedly did not inform Doug about the birth of their daughter.

Four years after they met, Doug didn’t have to survive on September 27, 2020: he came to Ashley’s mother’s house to help Ashley and her daughter with a move they were planning: both wanted to move to Maryland, and Doug also planned to move there. But that should never happen.

Shortly after Doug arrived, a neighbor received an emergency call and rushed to Ashley’s mother’s house. Ashley stood in the doorway and said: “He attacked me and I shot him.” However, during further investigations the police could not find any evidence of assault and according to the authorities, the angle of the bullets was against self-defense.

Ashley, on the other hand, stuck to her statement. On the day of the murder, she says, Doug put her under extreme pressure again – “I was scared to death. I thought he was going to kill me. I’m trapped.” She then ran into the bedroom and retrieved the gun. When Doug lunged at her, she pulled the trigger.

Her lawyer, Neil Taylor, also painted a picture of a violent and manipulative husband in court: Doug was a “complicated man” who did not shy away from repeatedly emotionally manipulating his wife: once he exploded several times during an argument. Ashley knocked the dog unconscious one more time. He also monitored Ashley using a tracking device installed in her car.