Trial for former Manatee County ballerina accused of killing husband: Here's what to know

In a case that has captured the attention of national media outlets like CBS, People magazine, Vanity Fair and 48 Hours, a Manatee County woman will soon stand trial in connection to the shooting death of her estranged husband.

Ashley Benefield, 32, was arrested in November 2020 for the shooting that killed her husband, Doug Benefield, according to a probable cause affidavit. She was charged with second-degree murder with a firearm.

Last July, Ashley Benefield appeared in court asking a Manatee County Circuit judge to dismiss the case against her based on Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law, arguing that she fired the gun in self-defense. Judge Stephen Whyte denied Benefield's motion, and an appellate court denied a motion by Benefield's attorney asking the court to find that Ashley Benefield was either entitled to immunity from prosecution or quash the trial court's order related to the immunity claim.

Now, a jury will answer the question: Was the shooting an act of self-defense by a woman driven to such desperation to protect herself and her young daughter from the man she married while under the throes of a whirlwind romance or was it a cold and calculated decision by someone the prosecution previously described as "manipulative"?

A three-week trial is scheduled to begin on July 22 in the Manatee County Judicial Center.

What we know about Ashley and Doug Benefield, and the shooting

Ashley and Doug Benefield met in 2016 and were married 13 days later following a whirlwind romance, according to previous Herald-Tribune reporting. Media reports state that at the time, Ashley Benefield was 24 years old, while Doug Benefield was 54 years old.

Less than a year into their marriage in August 2017, Ashley Benefield left the couple's Charleston, S.C. home and her husband, moving down to Manatee County to live with her mother. It was around that time that the Maryland Youth ballet graduate also disavowed her support for the American National Ballet, a company she and her husband had founded, according to a post made on the nonprofit's Facebook page. The company itself became ensnared by controversy, according to media reports.

In her motion to dismiss, Ashley Benefield claimed her husband was abusive and volatile, having once fired a gun into their kitchen ceiling to intimidate her to stop talking during an argument and regularly carried a loaded weapon.

On the afternoon of Sept. 27, 2020, Doug Benefield came to the home in Bradenton with a U-Haul truck to help pack for a move to Maryland. It appeared Doug Benefield was under the impression he, his wife, and daughter would move together, although Doug would live separately, according to court documents and previous testimony.

As the two were packing, frustrations mounted and escalated into an argument, according to the document. Despite Ashley Benefield's attempts to de-escalate, court records state Doug Benefield became physical — body-checking Ashley Benefield with a box, blocking her from exiting a room and following her into her bedroom where she grabbed a gun. When Doug Benefield allegedly advanced toward her, Ashley Benefield fired the gun.

Previous reporting: Former ballerina appeals for 'Stand Your Ground' immunity after judge denies motion

In case you missed it: Judge denies former Florida ballerina's Stand Your Ground claim in husband's fatal shooting

According to investigators in a November 2020 complaint, Doug Benefield did not appear to be facing his wife when she began shooting. However, testimony from the 'Stand Your Ground' hearing by the medical examiner indicated Doug Benefield was most likely facing his wife when he was shot.

Witnesses outside the residence told investigators they heard about six gunshots and some 30 seconds later, saw Ashley Benefield run out of the house towards a neighbor's home with a gun still in her hand, screaming and crying.

'Stand Your Ground' hearing ends with judge denying motion

In February 2023, Ashley Benefield's attorney filed the 105-page motion to dismiss the case and requested a declaration of immunity for his client. Defense attorney Neil Taylor, who is representing Ashley Benefield, previously told the Herald-Tribune that the motion was to shed light on Ashley Benefield's side of the story.

Under Florida's Stand Your Ground Law , a person is "justified in using or threatening to use deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”

During a two-day hearing in July 2023, Judge Whyte heard from the lead detective on the case, the 12th Circuit, Medical Examiner, Doug Benefield's first cousin, a family law attorney that Doug Benefield had hired, and a psychologist.

Assistant State Attorneys Suzanne O'Donnell and Rebecca Freel had the burden to prove through clear and convincing evidence that Ashley Benefield did not act in self-defense.

Whyte denied Ashley Benefield's motion , stating in his 27-page ruling that upon considering the totality of the evidence presented during the hearing, the evidence showed that the state proved Doug Benefield's homicide wasn't a "singular act of necessary self-defense but was instead the culmination of a lengthy, concerted effort" by Ashley Benefield.

The defense then filed a petition with the Second District Court of Appeals to take a second look at her 'Stand Your Ground' immunity claim. The petition asked the court to find that Ashley Benefield is either entitled to immunity from prosecution or quash the trial court's order related to the immunity claim.

Court records indicate the appellate court denied Ashley Benefield's motion for a written opinion in January.

Group marches in Bradenton in support of Ashley Benefield before trial

In the weeks leading up to the trial, a group supporting Ashley Benefield organized a march outside the courthouse on July 10. Wearing shades of purple and decked out with posters, the group took to the streets of Bradenton in support of the 32-year-old former ballerina, according to videos on the group's Facebook page.

The group, We Stand With Ashley , stated on their Facebook page that they are a nonprofit group formed in support of Ashley Benefield, who they say is a "criminalized survivor of domestic violence."

The group's website details Ashley Benefield's story, who she is, evidence that has been excluded from the case and has a tab dedicated to domestic violence survivors who are criminalized.

"The Ashley we know is a loving, kind and gentle mother, sister, daughter, friend, and beloved member of our community," the group describes Ashley Benefield on the website.

They detail how she is the first to volunteer, is always a shoulder to cry on, puts everyone else's needs above her own, always saves animals and is a gardener who nurtures her garden and home.

Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America . Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com , or on X: @GabrielaSzyman3.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Trial for former Manatee County ballerina accused of killing husband: Here's what to know