GUILTY FL - Doug Benefield, 58, shot and killed by estranged wife, Manatee County, 27 Sept 2020

[nodamselindistress]

I'm brand new to the case..like today and only came across it from a Youtube video that appeared on my TV while I was scanning.

A question for anyone:

To begin with why was she alone with Doug in the house on the day she shot him if she feared him so much?

I can't even wrap my head around her knowing that he was following her to where she was moving to live close by and she was still making the move.
Did I get that right?

We are waiting for Ashley to testify to find out those answers. Otherwise, it makes no sense, does it?

 

[nodamselindistress]

I didn’t like the victim’s attorney who testified. I think she was unprofessional in her attire and conduct on the stand. She’s an attorney and should know better. She acted like she was walking down the runway every time she came in and out. She was dressed for cocktail hour not to testify in a murder trial. Her mannerisms on the stand were off-putting. And I’m bringing this up because demeanor is relevant to assessing witness credibility. She hurt the state. Her answers were deemed “editorializing” and she was stopped from answering and told to just stick to direct answers. For an attorney, that is a bad look. JMO

I no longer live in South Florida, but I can assure you that her attire was pretty much the norm for that area of the country. I can understand people from other areas don't get this.

I found her testimony as an attorney to be "schooling" the defense attorney who relies on tripping up witnesses with incorrect dates and times as well as his own misinterpretations of the evidence. I wondered to myself if he even understands family law?

I do agree she was "editorializing" when she could, but perhaps that was because she represented a man who can no longer speak on his own behalf.

 

[Izzylizzy]

We are waiting for Ashley to testify to find out those answers. Otherwise, it makes no sense, does it?

Thank you!

IMO
It appears that she could have enjoyed antagonizing him to get a violent reaction?
I think shrinks have a definition for that dynamic between couples when confrontations are common.

Did the prosecutor in her opening statement mention AB wasn't afraid to be alone with him that day and/or question the move?
I didn't hear it but may have missed it.

 

[Weki]

Thanks to whoever posted the VF article. It was illuminating. I’m just catching up on today’s events and reading the article. I think she murdered him. Both these people seemed extremely immature and restless. I find the victim’s behavior towards his 15yo daughter abhorrent. To just remarry so quickly after she lost her mother and to not even tell her. To just spring it on her and act like a lovesick teenager while his daughter grieves. Smh.

The VF article certainly suggests that the victim was a scammer. I’m not sure he was all that wealthy. I think he seemed like a dream man to a 20-something woman with abandonment issues. I’m sure he created that image for the defendant. Once she got some distance from him in Florida, she realized what a drain he was and wanted to move on. But it was too late as now there was a baby. JMO

BTW - I don’t believe for one second he poisoned her or physically abused her. I think they were emotionally draining towards each other.

 

[AmandaSkis]

I have seen conflicting information regarding whether or not they were still married. He has been called the estranged husband, the ex-husband, and even just the husband. I am curious because I wondered if she would inherit anything with his death.

And I know we have talked about that maybe they did not have money, especially with the failed ballet company venture, but maybe she did not know that. Maybe she thought he had more money

 

[Weki]

If her dream was to do ballet and be in that world I just don’t understand why she would leave Charleston as the ballet company was getting going. I think she was done with him. The state’s theory is in line with this. They are alleging she didn’t want him in her life. They’re not alleging a financial motive - at least from what I’ve seen so far and from opening statements. JMO

 

[Izzylizzy]

Thanks for bringing up the website in support of the defendant. I wondered if there were people/groups advocating for the defendant. I am and have always supported battered women but dont believe the defendant’s claims. She had an agenda. I know all too well how battered women are, unfortunately. moo

Vinnie Politan has a segment on "Standing With Ashley" and he begins the video speaking about all the supporters that Karen Reid had in Massachusetts.
Scroll down for video and apologies if this link has already been posted.

Ashley Benefield News Updates | Court TV

A jury found ex-ballerina Ashley Benefield guilty of manslaughter in the death of her husband, Doug, who she had claimed she shot in self-defense.

www.courttv.com

 

[nodamselindistress]

I have seen conflicting information regarding whether or not they were still married. He has been called the estranged husband, the ex-husband, and even just the husband. I am curious because I wondered if she would inherit anything with his death.

And I know we have talked about that maybe they did not have money, especially with the failed ballet company venture, but maybe she did not know that. Maybe she thought he had more money

Reporters get stuff wrong all the time these days. Both Doug and Ashley were married previously. Doug's former wife, mother of Eva, died from a heart defect. Ashley is divorced from her former husband, I wonder if anyone has tried to interview him????

I am pretty sure she thought he was wealthy. He made promises to deliver her dream come true of a ballet company and it seems he worked towards that until it collapsed. Meanwhile, she got pregnant and had such severe morning sickness ALLEGEDLY that she had to move back home so Mom could care for her while Doug ran the ballet company into the ground.

 

[Wishbone]

I didn’t like the victim’s attorney who testified. I think she was unprofessional in her attire and conduct on the stand. She’s an attorney and should know better. She acted like she was walking down the runway every time she came in and out. She was dressed for cocktail hour not to testify in a murder trial. Her mannerisms on the stand were off-putting. And I’m bringing this up because demeanor is relevant to assessing witness credibility. She hurt the state. Her answers were deemed “editorializing” and she was stopped from answering and told to just stick to direct answers. For an attorney, that is a bad look. JMO

She did embellish her answers at times and she knows better than to do that as an attorney. But it stands to reason that she would be partial to her dead client. Just like AB's shrink friend seemed like a hostile witness to me. As far as her dress, she is an attractive woman and as the saying goes, if you got it then flaunt it. JMOO

 

[nodamselindistress]

I wish we still had reporters who would dig deep into cases. Instead, we now seem to have lazy click bait.

Hasn't anyone wondered about AB's dad? What is the story there? How long has he been absent from her life? Was it an amicable divorce from AB's mom? How long ago?

This could all have a bearing on AB's pysche.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Reporters get stuff wrong all the time these days. Both Doug and Ashley were married previously. Doug's former wife, mother of Eva, died from a heart defect. Ashley is divorced from her former husband, I wonder if anyone has tried to interview him????

I am pretty sure she thought he was wealthy. He made promises to deliver her dream come true of a ballet company and it seems he worked towards that until it collapsed. Meanwhile, she got pregnant and had such severe morning sickness ALLEGEDLY that she had to move back home so Mom could care for her while Doug ran the ballet company into the ground.

Yes nodamsel!…….... and that pregnancy is a little more intriguing….. According to the Vanity Fair article, AB (now the defendant) then convinced DB (her now slain husband) to have his vasectomy reversed so she could become pregnant. See in the Vanity Fair article of September 2, 2021 by Alice Robb entitled ‘When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death’:

When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death

The Charleston-based evangelicals had much in common: guns, God, Trump. What went wrong, only one of them could say.

www.vanityfair.com

Lastly AB age IMO is not entirely clear IIRC? I believe there was reference to her now being ~32 years old. So circa 2020 would put her at about 28 or thereabouts and nearing 30 IIUC thereafter? MOO

 

[Wishbone]

Yes nodamsel!…….... and that pregnancy is a little more intriguing….. According to the Vanity Fair article, AB (now the defendant) then convinced DB (her now slain husband) to have his vasectomy reversed so she could become pregnant. See in the Vanity Fair article of September 2, 2021 by Alice Robb entitled ‘When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death’:

When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death

The Charleston-based evangelicals had much in common: guns, God, Trump. What went wrong, only one of them could say.

www.vanityfair.com

Lastly AB age IMO is not entirely clear IIRC? I believe there was reference to her now being ~32 years old. So circa 2020 would put her at about 28 or thereabouts and nearing 30 IIUC thereafter? MOO

As a retired naval officer DB may have drawn around 150,000 retirement a year, give or take. Add to that his various business ventures he could have looked quite attractive to AB. That she was in such a hurry to get PG doesn't make good sense when they were starting the business venture that she should have played a big part in. This was her dream and she decides to have a baby while getting the school off the ground? As far as debilitating nausea, I'll believe it if they ever show her medical records. I'm not going for it right now. But it does appear that she intentionally picked DB to be the father of her child for whatever reasons. JMOO

 

[Weki]

I think these two were enamored with a certain lifestyle and identity. The family values, God-fearing, gun toting identity. The VF article makes this apparent. Unfortunately nowadays people are into the aesthetics of things and not into the actual meaning of things. People who are God-fearing, who value family, and who are responsible gun owners do not behave this way. These two were phonies. Like he said in that article, he wanted to “Uber-ize the ballet.” Similarly he wanted to ‘Uber-ize’family values and God. I don’t even know what it means to “Uber-ize” something but I interpret it as pretending to revolutionize something when what you’re really doing is gutting it. You pretend to innovate when what you’re doing is scamming.

This was his 3rd marriage by the way. He was married at 28 for 6 months before his 2nd marriage.

JMO

 

[Izzylizzy]

Yes nodamsel!…….... and that pregnancy is a little more intriguing….. According to the Vanity Fair article, AB (now the defendant) then convinced DB (her now slain husband) to have his vasectomy reversed so she could become pregnant. See in the Vanity Fair article of September 2, 2021 by Alice Robb entitled ‘When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death’:

When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death

The Charleston-based evangelicals had much in common: guns, God, Trump. What went wrong, only one of them could say.

www.vanityfair.com

Lastly AB age IMO is not entirely clear IIRC? I believe there was reference to her now being ~32 years old. So circa 2020 would put her at about 28 or thereabouts and nearing 30 IIUC thereafter? MOO

The photos I just saw of AB on Court TV certainly don't look like a 24 yr old.

 

[Seni]

This whole marriage seems strange to me.
30 year age gap and eloping Iike teens??
After only 13 days of knowing each other?
Was it so called "love bombing"/gaslighting?
Getting a young, naive and beautiful "trophy wife"?
Hmmm...

JMO

Doug was very goodlooking in his early fifties. Just take a look at his eyes.! I dont think the age difference would have hit at that moment, and I dont think it was ever brought up as point of contention. Pls correct if I am wrong.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Is it just me?
Or did I just view the worst ever examination of a witness by both a prosecutor and a defense attorney?
Nothing that was asked by either was relevant to the relationship between AB & DB.
AB's mother on the stand and she was released as a witness after 9 mins of HUH?

 

[Wishbone]

Is it just me?
Or did I just view the worst ever examination of a witness by both a prosecutor and a defense attorney?
Nothing that was asked by either was relevant to the relationship between AB & DB.
AB's mother on the stand and she was released as a witness after 9 mins of HUH?

It's obvious the scope of the questions that can be asked of many of these witnesses has been severely limited for reasons only the court seems to know at this point. I mean we couldn't even get the results of the psych report. So much has been suppressed that I'm still in the dark about most everything.

 

[Izzylizzy]

It's obvious the scope of the questions that can be asked of many of these witnesses has be severely limited for reasons only the court seems to know at this point. I mean we couldn't even get the results of the psych report. So much has been suppressed that I'm still in the dark about most everything.

Who is the judge because AB's mother would be an ideal witness for the defense then of course for the prosecution to cross examine.
I find it mind-boggling that AB's mother said that she and AB never discussed the shooting, then I just read on the comments under the video that AB's therapist who she moved in with claimed the same.

 

[dyannaON]

I hope Eva and Emerson have a relationship one day. I mean if they want. Makes me sad to think they don’t. IMO.

 

[Wishbone]

dbm