Ashley Benefield Trial: Did She Kill Her Husband Doug Benefield in Self-Defense?

Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.

In September 2020, police discovered the dead body of Navy veteran Doug Benefield at his mother-in-law’s house in Florida. Reports indicated that Benefield’s wife, Ashley Benefield, shot him at her mother’s house. After first responders arrived at the scene, Ashley told them that she shot him in self-defense, further claiming that her husband attacked him first. Subsequently, police apprehended Ashley for her husband’s slaying. The ongoing Black Swan Murder Trial will decide if she is guilty or not.

People Magazine stated that Ashley Benefield killed her husband in self-defense. However, police dismissed her claims and said that they found no evidence against Doug Benefield being the person who attacked first. Moreover, in an affidavit, they claimed that Doug wasn’t even facing Ashley when she shot him. People Magazine noted, “Based on 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.”

During the trial, the defense claimed that Ashley Benefield killed Doug because of “fear for her life,” reported New York Post. Meanwhile, the prosecution team argued that the accused killed the victim because she wanted to be a single mother. 

Did Ashley Benefield kill her husband Doug Benefield in self-defense?

In the opening statements, prosecutors told the court how the custody battle became the reason for the slaying. Ashley Benefield allegedly decided to be a single mother at an early stage of her pregnancy. Citing the statement, New York Post reported, “This case is about a woman who very early on in her pregnancy decided she wanted to be a single mother. She would stop at nothing to obtain that goal.”

On the other hand, the defense team labeled Doug Benefield as “manipulative” and “abusive.” Per WFLA, they said, “Despite promoting himself as a religious, honorable, and decent human being, Benefield was a manipulative, cunning, and abusive man who insisted, absolutely insisted on control.” Additionally, the defense told the jury about instances where Ashley Benefield found out about her husband’s inappropriate behavior. 

The accused also took the stand and opened up about what happened that day. According to ABC7 News, Ashley told the court how Doug Benefield cornered her in her room. Moreover, she claimed to have been scared for her life at the time: “I was scared to death. I thought he was going to kill me. There was nowhere to go.” During her testimony, Ashley stated that she filed multiple abuse allegations throughout her marriage. However, the prosecution said that she leveled such accusations just to get sole custody of the child.

If found guilty, she faces 25 years to life in prison. The trial will continue on Monday, July 29.