Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation. She was convicted of manslaughter for fatally shooting her husband, Doug Benefield, during an argument at her Florida home in September 2020.
The trial was called the “Black Swan murder trial” because of Ashley’s background in ballet, drawing comparisons to the character in the movie Black Swan.
Before her conviction, Ashley said that during the argument, her husband struck her while blocking the doorway as she tried to leave. She claimed she ran to her bedroom to get a gun and he followed her. When she pointed the gun at him, she said he took a “fighting stance” and lunged at her, prompting her to shoot him multiple times.
Her defense argued that Doug was controlling and violent throughout their four-year marriage. After getting pregnant in 2017, Ashley moved out of their home. Her lawyer said she was a victim of domestic abuse and shot Doug in self-defense because she feared for her life.
However, the prosecution argued that the shooting was related to a custody dispute, not self-defense. They pointed out that Ashley had spoken to a detective two years before the shooting, saying she planned to use the criminal system to affect her custody case. The prosecution also emphasized that Ashley was the only one armed that night and could have avoided the shooting.
During the sentencing, Doug’s daughter, Eva Benefield, addressed Ashley directly. She said her father was the best man she had ever known and expressed her anger over losing him. Eva also pointed out that Ashley’s actions left her and her sister without their father.
Ashley’s attorneys didn’t comment after the hearing but hinted they would appeal the sentence.