A Manatee County jury of six found Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina, accused of shooting and killing her estranged husband in 2020, guilty of manslaughter last week after six days of trial.
The 32-year-old former ballerina who was dubbed the ‘Black Swan’ was convicted hours after a jury started considering her claim that she shot her then-58-year-old estranged husband, Doug Benefield, during an alleged argument in self-defense in fear for her life.
Ashley and Doug met in 2016 when she was 24 and Doug was 54. They married 13 days later. The following year, Ashley became pregnant. The two eventually opened the American National Ballet.
The court was told that Ashley and Doug had a volatile relationship. Ashley claimed that her husband had been violent towards her.
On September 27, 2020, Doug Benefield arrived at Ashley’s Manatee County home with a truck. Doug Benefield was allegedly at Ashley Benefield’s home that day to help pack up a U-Haul truck. Ashley Benefield testified that Doug Benefield refused to leave her home, prevented her from leaving and physically assaulted her. Her defense attorney argued she was also a victim of domestic violence.
The prosecution argued Ashley Benefield killed her husband for her own reasons.
After being found guilty of manslaughter, Ashley Benefield was also taken into custody at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office where she will remain in jail until sentencing. She faces up to 30 years of prison.
