Former ballerina in Florida is convicted of manslaughter in her estranged husband’s 2020 shooting

2024-12-24 21:03:14 source: category:News

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — A former ballerina has been convicted of manslaughter in the 2020 shooting death of her estranged husband in Florida.

A Manatee County jury returned the guilty verdict late Tuesday against Ashley Benefield, court records show. She had been charged with second-degree murder, but the jurors opted for a lesser offense after nearly seven hours of deliberations.

Benefield, 32, claimed that she killed her then-58-year-old estranged husband, Doug Benefield, during a September 2020 argument at her mother’s home, where she had moved from South Carolina after leaving him. Authorities say she shot him twice.

She now faces up to 30 years in prison becaused she used a firearm in the killing. A sentencing date hasn’t been set.

After the verdict, Circuit Judge Matt Whyte revoked Benefield’s $100,000 bond and ordered her taken into custody, court documents show.

Bradenton is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Tampa.

More:News

Recommend

Chrysler recalls over 200k Jeep, Dodge vehicles over antilock-brake system: See affected models

Chrysler is issuing a recall of 2018-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles due to a po

PHOTOS: What it's like to be 72 — the faces (and wisdom) behind the age

The world's population is facing a historic shift: By 2030, one in six people will be age 60 or over

Lululemon Leaps into the Balletcore Trend with New Dance Studio Pants & More

We independently selected these deals and products because we love them, and we think you might like