In Bradenton, Florida, a former ballerina has been found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of her estranged husband back in 2020. Ashley Benefield, aged 32, was convicted by a Manatee County jury on Tuesday. Originally facing a charge of second-degree murder, the jury ultimately decided on the lesser offense after almost seven hours of deliberation.
Benefield claimed that she shot her then-58-year-old estranged spouse, Doug Benefield, during an argument at her mother’s residence in September 2020. She had relocated to her mother’s home in Florida from South Carolina after separating from her husband. Reports indicate that she fired two shots at him.
The use of a firearm in the crime means Benefield could be sentenced to up to 30 years behind bars. A date for her sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Following the guilty verdict, Circuit Judge Matt Whyte revoked Benefield’s $100,000 bond and ordered her immediate arrest.
Bradenton, located around 30 miles south of Tampa, served as the backdrop for this tragic incident.
