Black Swan Murder Trial Update

a former ballerina has been found guilty of fatally shooting her estranged husband 4 years ago on the evening of July 30th 2024 Ashley Benfield a 33-year-old woman from Florida was convicted of the murder of Douglas Doug Benfield which occurred in 2020 this verdict followed 7 hours of deliberation by a jury in manate County as reported by the Tampa Bay affiliate wtvt although the mother of one claimed that she acted in self-defense she was initially charged with second deegree murder but was ultimately convicted of lesser charges of manslaughter assistant State Attorney suzan O'Donnell representing Florida's 12th District argued that Ashley did not kill her husband for self-protection but rather to gain an advantage in an ongoing custody dispute regarding their young daughter according to NBC News this was a custody battle that this mother was determined to win at any cost odonnell stated during her opening remarks the cost was the life of Doug Benfield and that constitutes murder Ashley Benfield now faces 15 years in prison how did Doug Benfield die on September 27th 2020 at approximately 7 p.m. deputies from Manatee County arrived at the residence of Ashley's mother in Bradenton located about 50 Mi south of Tampa upon their arrival they discovered the 58-year-old victim severely injured and struggling for survival on the bedroom floor the emergency responders were summoned to the scene after Ashley reportedly still holding the firearm appeared at her neighbor's home and confessed to the murder as reported by CBS News according to an affidavit Doug had suffered a gunshot wound to his leg along with another that penetrated his bicep before entering his chest additionally two bullets were recovered from the wall as previously noted by oxygen.com the victim ultimately succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a nearby hospital at the time of the incident Ashley in formed investigators that she shot Doug only in self-defense after he had assaulted her however authorities expressed skepticism regarding her account from the outset based on the entry wounds on Douglas it does not appear that he was facing Ashley when she began shooting it also does not appear that Douglas had taken any kind of defensive or combative stance the affidavit stated Douglas was was not found to have any weapons or anything near him investigators reported that there were no signs indicating that Ashley had been harmed more about the couple in 2016 Doug a 54-year-old technology consultant and US Navy veteran met Ashley for the first time at a Republican party fundraiser as previously reported he had recently become a widower having lost his wife Renee to a heart condition just N9 months prior at that time Ashley was a 24-year-old actively supporting then Presidential candidate Donald Trump their connection was immediate leading to their marriage less than two weeks later the following year Ashley a former professional ballerina and Douglas endeavored to establish a dance studio named The American National Ballet in Charleston South Carolina this Venture aimed to provide ballet instruction to dancers of all shapes sizes styles and colors but it ceased operations in 2018 coinciding with Ashley's pregnancy with Doug's child and her subsequent move to Florida to be nearer to her mother after Doug's tragic death detectives reported that Ashley began to allege domestic violence against him short shortly after discovering her pregnancy as indicated in the charging documents authorities noted it appears that the main focus of these complaints was to keep the child away from Douglas detectives from Manatee County investigated Ashley's claims which included accusations of Doug poisoning her tea and purported involvement in his late wife's death among various other allegations however none were substantiated additionally Ashley sought an injunction to prevent Doug from being near the baby but the presiding judge found no ciller of Truth in her assertions Doug was granted visitation rights the affidavit concluded that at this point it appeared that Ashley had exhausted all legal means to keep the child away from Douglas before the shooting the Black Swan murder trial in his concluding statements Ashley's defense Council Neil Taylor emphasized that his client had submitted numerous complaints regarding Doug benfield's conduct to the authorities yet received no response as reported by NBC News repeatedly there was no assistance provided Ashley recounted her experiences in court detailing instances of persistent abuse which included an occasion when Doug discharged his firearm into the ceiling made threats of suicide damaged walls with his fists and rendered the couple's dog unconscious through physical violence I felt as though I was trapped in a nightmare Ashley expressed to the court I could never predict what happy