Prosecution expected to rest in murder murder trial for Florida mother

BRADENTON, Fla. – The prosecution is expected to rest its case Thursday in the murder trial of a former ballerina accused of shooting and killing her husband in Bradenton. 

Ashley Benefield has claimed self-defense in the death of her husband, Doug, but prosecutors say otherwise, and they are planning to rest their case after two days of testimony.

READ: Ashley Benefield murder trial continues as witnesses dive into her relationship with husband

On Wednesday, jurors heard how Ashley’s estranged husband tried to stay in contact with her, but she went silent after moving to Florida while pregnant. She faces second-degree murder charges after his September 2020 death. 

Ashley’s mother took the stand on Wednesday, testifying that she was at the park with her granddaughter when Doug was shot. 

Domestic Violence Investigator Chris Gillum took the stand as well on Wednesday, saying Ashley told him, “I can’t believe you’re willing to allow Doug to kill me and the baby.”

“Her tone turned from the crying to very aggressive, and she says, ‘you will *expletive* arrest him in front of the judge, and I will make sure you do it,” Gillum, an investigator with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said. “In my 12 years of doing this, I had never had anybody ask me to arrest anybody in front of a judge inside the courtroom.”

A family attorney for Doug also took the stand, telling the jury her former client sought her help in trying to contact Ashley to try and have a part in the birth of their second child. 

READ: Ashley Benefield trial: Testimony begins for Bradenton mother accused in husband’s death

Stephanie Murphy said she drafted and emailed Ashley on Doug’s behalf. In it, he asked to play a role in the birth of their child but also understood if she needed her space. 

The day after that email was sent, Ashley checked herself into Tampa General Hospital to be induced, Murphy said. Murphy only discovered Doug and Ashley’s daughter was born after finding Ashley filed for a restraining order against her husband.

A judge ultimately awarded Doug visitation, and the two met at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for Doug to meet his daughter. Murphy attended as Doug’s attorney and told the jury she was shocked by what happened next. 

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“I was advised they’d be leaving together, strangely,” Murphy said. “That Ashley was going to be going with them for the time sharing. Was this a surprise? Absolutely. We had just been in knock-out, drag-out litigation for months with horrendous allegations that were unfounded, and yet she said ‘I want to go with you’ and he said ‘Okay.’”

Murphy said that began a time of peace for about 11 months. Doug was killed three days before an upcoming court hearing as Ashley, her mother, and Doug planned to move to Maryland to live near each other, albeit not together. 

A court filing indicates that when the prosecution rests its case, the defense will present evidence Ashley suffers from battered spouse syndrome.