A former ballet dancer at the center of what became known as the “Black Swan Murders” has been convicted of manslaughter.
A jury in Manatee County, Florida, found 33-year-old Ashley Benefield guilty on Tuesday night.
The manslaughter conviction was a downgrade from the second-degree murder charge originally filed against Benefield following her husband’s death in 2020.
Former Florida ballet dancer uses ‘stand your ground’ defense to clear husband of murder charge
Ashley Benefield, 31, shot and killed her husband, Doug Benefield, at their Florida home in 2020 and was later convicted of manslaughter. Her husband assaulted her during a domestic dispute. (Facebook)
Benefield insists she shot Doug Benefield in self-defense. Her attorneys filed a motion last year alleging she shot the Navy veteran after ordering him to leave her home, claiming he refused and hit her in the face.
The document cites the alleged Florida “Stand Your Ground” Methodwhich says a person does not have to retreat before using deadly force to prevent death, serious injury and certain felonies.
Ashley and Doug were living in Charleston, South Carolina, when Ashley became pregnant and moved to Florida to live with her mother. After the baby was born, Doug came to the Sunshine State to join her, but they did not live together.
Florida former ballet dancer charged with husband’s murder in custody battle: police
She repeatedly accused Doug of psychological abuse in order to gain sole custody of her daughter, but the accusations were never proven, the suit states.
During Thursday’s hearing, Doug’s family attorney Stephanie Murphy testified about the couple’s custody battle and Ashley’s accusation that her husband poisoned her with heavy metals during her pregnancy. The family shot and punched their dog in the face.
Former ballet dancer Ashley Benefield (left), 31, was initially charged with second-degree murder following the fatal altercation. Doug’s family attorney dubbed the trial the “Black Swan Murder Trial” — a nickname that began to catch on as the trial became widely publicized. (Facebook)
“To Doug…Ashley is this innocent, pure white swan,” Murphy previously said on CBS’ “48 Hours.”
“But underneath those white feathers…she’s an evil woman,” Murphy added. “She’s a black swan.”
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Eva Benefield, Doug’s daughter from a previous marriage and Ashley’s stepdaughter, celebrated the verdict on social media.
“She was found guilty of manslaughter,” Eva Benefield said in a TikTok video after the verdict. “After four years of waiting, my dad got the justice he deserved.”
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Fox News Digital’s Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
