Ex-ballerina convicted of killing husband in ‘Black Swan’ trial
Ashley Benefield tried to start a ballet company in South Carolina and hired an ex-Philadelphia Ballet dancer as her star. She was convicted of manslaughter in the death of her estranged husband.
An ex-ballerina accused of killing her estranged husband was convicted of manslaughter by a Florida jury late Tuesday, closing out the dramatic case local reporters had dubbed the “Black Swan murder trial.”
The Manatee County jury deliberated late into the night before finding Ashley Benefield guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Benefield, 32, was originally charged with second-degree murder with a firearm after fatally shooting Douglas Benefield, her 58-year-old estranged husband, in September 2020.
Benefield, wearing a printed blouse and light-blue blazer, had no visible reaction as the verdict was read shortly before 11 p.m. local time. Defense attorney Neil Taylor did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Prosecutors argued that Benefield shot her husband as a means to get sole custody of their child, while defense lawyers said the shooting was self-defense as he menaced her.
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Eva Benefield, Douglas's daughter from a previous marriage, praised the verdict in a TikTok video filmed outside the courthouse.
“After four years of waiting, my dad got the justice that he deserves,” she said.
The prosecution and defense generally agreed on the couple’s beginning: a chance meeting at a 2016 political event in Florida that led to a 13-day “whirlwind romance” and speedy nuptials between the former professional dancer and wealthy GOP donor, who were 24 and 54, respectively, when they met. The four-year marriage included a well-publicized failed venture to start a ballet company in South Carolina (ex-Philadelphia Ballet principal dancer Sara Michelle Murawski was to be her star); a baby girl born during a period of estrangement; and later, accusations of domestic violence, according to court documents.
The once-intense romance curdled, and prosecutors allege Benefield attempted to resolve her failed efforts to win sole custody of their child by killing Douglas. The defense described Douglas as often armed with a "ready to fire" concealed weapon and said he had previously thrown a loaded gun at her, punched her dog, and fired at the ceiling to quiet her as he used manipulation and abuse to control his much younger wife.
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The deadly shooting unfolded at the Florida home where Benefield was living with her mother in September 2020. She was preparing for a move to Maryland, where Douglas would also move but live separately, according to court documents. The argument began in the evening, after Douglas came to the home while Benefield was packing their shared moving truck.
Benefield's defense unsuccessfully argued for the case to be set aside under Florida's "stand your ground" law, claiming Benefield fired at her estranged husband in self-defense after he refused to stop advancing toward her. Douglas had been rough with Benefield throughout the evening as she was packing - shouldering, shoving and swiping her, her attorney said during the trial.
Prosecutors argued Benefield showed no injuries save for an unrelated scrape and said the bullet wounds on Douglas's body indicate he was not turned toward her when he was struck. They also cited Benefield's move to Florida to live with her mother during pregnancy, then giving birth without telling Douglas and trying to block him from seeing their child for the next six months.
Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell acknowledged in her closing arguments that domestic violence is a “real problem.” O’Donnell conceded that while some battered spouses are in circumstances where they must use deadly methods of self-defense, Benefield was not.
“This defendant used domestic violence and allegations of it to make progress on her goal,” O’Donnell said. “And her goal was: She wanted sole custody of that child at all costs.”
Ashley Benefield now awaits sentencing, where she faces a maximum of 3o years in prison.