Trial Ashley Benefiled
Ashley Christina Benefield, 32, was arrested in November 2020 for the shooting that killed her husband, Doug Benefield
Ex-ballerina, Ashley Benefield, claims self-defense in the shooting death of her husband, Doug, while prosecutors allege it was about a custody dispute.
Douglas and Ashley Benefield Timeline
On December 2, 2015, Douglas Benefield tragically lost his wife, Renee, due to a heart condition. Their daughter, Eva, discovered her mother upon returning home from school.
When police in Mount Pleasant investigated Renee’s death and searched her cell phone, they learned that Renee and Doug had been fighting. “The decedent stated to her husband how he kicked her over New Year’s Eve during their honeymoon,” they summarized in an investigation report, and also described “Mr. Benefield putting a gun to his head in the past.” Court Records In the year before her death, Renee had been sick: Her husband told the detectives that she had fainted twice in the past year; the coroner concluded that she had died of a heart condition.
On August 25, 2016, Doug Benefield crossed paths with Ashley Byers at Ben Carson’s Palm Beach residence, shortly after the conclusion of Carson’s presidential campaign. Despite their age difference Doug being 54 twice divorced and widowed, and Ashley, 24 and divorced had an instant connection and love from first site.
Ashley, with her classical beauty—bright blue eyes, glossy brown hair, and the grace of a dancer—had been actively involved in Donald Trump’s campaign team in Florida, attending rallies and working in the campaign office. Meanwhile,
Doug had strong connections to influential donors associated with Ben Carson.
Doug Benefield Political contributions
August 25, 2016, Despite Doug departing for Israel on a business trip just two days later August 25, 2016, he and Ashley maintained constant communication through passionate texts. By September 1, 2016 only six days after meeting, Doug and Ashley exchanged heartfelt “I love you”s over text. September 2, 2016 Doug returned from Israel, they had already decided to marry, keeping their plans discreet, even from Doug’s teenage daughter.
On September 6, 2016 Ashley and Doug submitted Marriage Application
on September 7, 2016, Their wedding took place, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Charleston . The intimate ceremony was attended by a single witness, with Doug’s friend Trip Cormeny officiating.
January 2017 Eva’s 15 year old friend Sidney moved in with Doug, Ashley and Eva.
April, 2017 Dog had a Vasectomy Reversing Procedure. Him and Ashley wanted kids – According to Doug he wanted oodles of children.
April 14, 2017 Dog threw a punch into a wall during one of the arguments. The same month Doug Benefield hit and thrown their family pets.
September 2017 The couple, Doug and Ashley, embarked on establishing their own ballet company in Charleston, South Carolina, named The American National Ballet .
June, 2017 Doug and Ashley became a legal guardians to Eva’s friend Sidney. Who had a rough home life.
The relationship between Doug and Ashley began to deteriorate, exacerbated by frequent arguments over Ashley’s strained relationship with Doug’s teenage daughter, Eva. Ashley found Eva’s diary and read it, learning that her stepdaughter hated her. Doug and Ashley argued.
June 15, 2017 Doug Pulled a loaded gun and then threw a gun at Ashley Benefield. The gun hit a wall and punched a hole. Doug then grabbed the gun and held against his own head, threatening to kill himself. He shot into a ceiling instead.
She wouldn’t stop talking, she wouldn’t stop talking about Eva. She wouldn’t stop, so I literally grabbed the first thing on the table in front of me, which happened to be the gun. I was upset I wanted her to stop talking. Source:
Court Records
June 2017 – But A few days after Doug lodged a bullet in his ceiling, the couple hosted a wedding reception at Charleston hotel
The relationship between Doug and Ashley became increasingly turbulent even more after Ashley became pregnant in 2017.
on August 16, 2017 she texted Doug saying
“Baby I literally can’t move I feel so sick.”
They decided that Ashley should rest at her mother’s house in Florida while Doug would stay in Charleston to focus on the ballet.
August 25 2017 Doug drove Ashley to Florida. Doug and Ashley kept in contact through messages and calls. Often saying how much they love each other.
September 18, 2017 the long-awaited launch date of the American National Ballet Doug went to the studios to oversee the dancers’ arrival. While Doug was away that day, Ashley came back to South Carolina but She didn’t tell Doug that she was coming. She quietly let herself into the home they had shared, packed up her clothing, and left him a note: She was leaving. Note Ashley Left for Doug when she left him .
Doug drove to Florida, visited Ashley’s Church to seek Pastor Bernard’s assistance in reaching out to Ashley., She had abruptly left without any explanation, so he asked Pastor Bernard, who she loved dearly, to contact her to get answers as part of reconciliation.
On September 23, 2017 Doug Posted a picture of Ashley with quote “Got the ballet shoes out and getting ready to launch a national ballet” Their vision for the company was to create a space that embraced inclusivity and diversity, welcoming dancers of varying body types and ethnic backgrounds. They aimed to foster an environment where all dancers could thrive and contribute to the art form of ballet.
To the surprise of the dancers, Ashley, the co-founder and director of the company, suddenly disappeared and relocated back to Florida. This unexpected departure left the dancers uncertain and without the leadership they had relied on to guide the nascent ballet company. Unfortunately, the ballet company, The American National Ballet, folded shortly after its inception. Doug lied about $2.5 million budget he reported it never existed, but Doug still hoped he could raise the money before anyone caught on. He borrowed tens of thousands of dollars to fund the first payroll.
October 10, 2017 Doug and Ashley were arguing through text messages and phone calls, during that time Doug drove to Florida from South Carolina to Ashley Benefields mother Alicia home. Argument continued he was asked to leave but he refused and the fight continued all night. He left the following day.
On October 23, Despite the initial promise of eight-month contracts and health insurance for the dancers, the organization struggled to overcome these challenges and ultimately ceased operations. Contract with Dancers
During this time, Ashley made serious allegations against Doug, accusing him of being an abusive and violent husband who had allegedly attempted to poison her. She also claimed that Doug was responsible for poisoning Eva’s mother, Renee, which resulted in her death.
On October 27, 2017 during injunction hearing Doug Benefield admitted to several acts of violence:
- Doug grabbed a gun—weapons were never far away—and threw it at Ashley. “I was just in utter disbelief, everything going on in our life, a lot of stress,” he said. –
Exhibit 2
- In another argument in the heat of one argument, he punched a hole in the wall. –
Exhibit 6
- Another time, Doug picked up a gun and fired it into the ceiling; that same day, he struck the family dog in the face. He later confessed in a written statement: “Sully starts to jump up from under the table and I just hit him.”
- On November 3, 2017 Restraining order was issued by a judge in Charleston, South Carolina Court Records
Doug Benefield filed s complaint to ask for separate maintenance.
November 27, 2017 Doug mailed a package to Ashley. Package contained a handmade note card and tea cups and matching plates, a set for her and s set for her mother.
Note dated 11/27/17:
Dear, Ashley. Beyond anything in the world right now I wanted you to know how much I appreciated and still daily recognize how much you did to show Eva love, to make this home special, and to be a great wife while balancing so much in this complex life we found ourselves in. I hope you have a good birthday and are feeling well and enjoy the beauty of pregnancy. I know God has a great plan for you and I thank him for creating you. With love, Doug.
On December 2, 2017 Ashley received a package in the mail from Doug Benefield. When Ashley opened a package she smelled strong smell that made her and her mother fell sick. Ashley Benefield filed for Protection Order
January 2018 Doug Contacted Realtor Vincent Vizzacaro to buy a home in Lakewood Ranch right behind Ashley Benefield. She said she had moved to her mother’s house after getting very sick during her pregnancy and suspected Doug Benefield was poisoning her.
April 2018 Ashley had checked herself into Tampa General Hospital, without telling Doug, and delivered a baby girl.
on May 30, 2018 Ashley filed for divorce, Case #2018DR002534AX, Manatee County Court.
July, 2018 Tensions escalated to a breaking point when Doug, in a moment of heightened conflict, discharged a firearm into the ceiling of their home. He would later tell friend Trip Cormeny, “I did the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Court Records
On July 30, 2018, Ashley and Doug saw each other for the first time in 10 months, at the Manatee County courthouse in Florida. Doug was seeking custody of their four-month-old daughter, who he’d never met, Ashley, alleging domestic violence and attempted poisoning, wanted a restraining order. the judge denied Ashley’s request and ordered the parents to share custody. “There is not a single scintilla of credible evidence that Ms. Benefield has ever been poisoned or suffered from any illness of any poison,” Judge Diana Moreland ruled.
November 2018, in attempt to reconciliation they began seeing a marriage counselor.
Despite their troubled history, Doug and Ashley reconciled in 2019 for the sake of their newborn daughter. However, their marriage remained tumultuous. Easter weekend of 2019, the whole family went out to dinner, Ashley and her mother Aicia pulled Eva aside. “They asked if I felt safe living with him, they told me he killed my mother, they told me my dad was going to kill Ashley and her mother,” Eva wrote in a statement. “I tried multiple times to diffuse the situation by telling them my dad has been nothing but supportive.”
May 26, 2019 Doug threatened Ashley “It would be shame if after we separate your child would find you the same was as my last wife”
Summer 2019 Doug secretly placed a tracking device on Ashley’s car Exhibit 4 and hired a private investigator, who told him that Ashley was seeing someone else.
Doug Benefield Text Message to Ashley Benefield:
I will promise you going forward, I wont do anything stupid, embarrassing and insulting like I did with Waterworks, or back early in year when put Eva’s tracker on your car. And I ask you to let’s deal with these murder and poisoning
accusations. If you want another autopsy then we will do that. I am ok with that.
Police Report
August 16, 2019 Doug called Ashley to tell her he was going to move in with her and her mother Ashley told Doug she didn’t want him there. Doug showed up anyways.
November 2019, the marriage counselor discovered that Doug had been secretly recording their sessions, and terminated the couple’s therapy, but therapist continued to treat Ashley alone.
By 2020 they were preparing for divorce. But in May 2020 two months into lock down, Ashley texted Doug and said she wanted to talk. “She’s looking to go to a real trauma therapist together,” Doug told his lawyer, Stephanie Murphy, over email. “Very conciliatory and owned her mistakes.” They started tentatively going on dates—to restaurants, to the beach.
In a surprising turn, Doug decided to give their relationship one last chance and made plans to relocate with Ashley to Maryland. Doug rented an apartment near Ashley’s mother house. They were in the process of packing for their move on September 27, 2020.
While moving Ashley Benefield tried to correct Doug Benefield on how they should load a Uhaul
“My things would be going in last, right at the front, so they’d be easy to get out first,”
Doug, became visibly upset, and He said
it shouldn’t be your stuff, my stuff, your house, my house. I can see what you’re doing. You’re trying to get me to leave.’ He said ‘I don’t have to leave, I can stay and spend the night if I want to because I’m your husband.
Argument escalated and Doug hit Ashley for the first time. Then she ran Into another room, Tragically, that night ended in a violent altercation. Ashley shot Doug in the back, claiming self-defense.
When the sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Doug on the floor of Ashley’s bedroom , bleeding from his leg, arm, and chest. They found a stray bullet on the floor and two more lodged in the walls. Ashley, who told police that she could still hear ringing in her ears, maintains she acted in self-defense. The police, according to the felony complaint, noticed no injuries on Ashley apart from an “old and very minor” scratch. “Based on the entry wounds on Douglas it does not appear that he was facing Ashley when she began shooting,” the detective wrote. “It also does not appear that Douglas had taken any kind of defensive or combative stance.”Medical Examiner released an autopsy report that Doug Benefield was shot in the chest and not in the back, but LE ignored those finding .
October 17, 2020, Doug’s friends and family scattered his ashes in the water at Sullivan’s Island Beach, just a few miles from the home he had once shared with Ashley
November 2020, Ashley Benefield turned herself in at the Manatee County Jail and was charged with second-degree murder.
Ashley Byers Benefiled
1991: Ashley Christina Byers was born on December 5, 1991, in Nueces, Texas , the daughter of Alicia and Raymond. Ashley Christina Byers began dancing at age 8 in Annapolis, Maryland where she danced at several local studios before studying at and graduating from The Maryland Youth Ballet. During her training, Ashley was chosen to participate in The Kennedy Center Class series where she trained with many prestigious companies including American Ballet Theatre, The New York City Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet and San Francisco Ballet to name a few.
Throughout her training, she has worked with Ben Stevenson along with Suzanne Farrel and Susan Jaffe. Ashley has danced professionally with many ballet companies along the east coast including The Baltimore Ballet,
The Ballet Theatre of Maryland, The Sarasota Ballet and Ballet Pensacola. She dropped of high school so she can attend Maryland Youth Ballet.
Brandon Ballet
She graduated and started booking a few gigs with regional troupes, Ashley danced professionally for several ballet companies along the East Coast, The Ballet Theater of Maryland, The Baltimore Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Ballet Pensacola, The Brandon Ballet, and The Wilmington Ballet Company, but was unable to secure a full-time job in Ballet.
Ashley began instructing children’s courses and sewing costumes for student workshops. She also started Modeling to create portfolio, Ashley modeled seductively lingerie, swimsuits or posing en pointe in a city street.
July 14, 2012 Ashley married Keaton T in 2012 According to Marriage License who was also a dancer. Both were featured in Wilmington StarNews – “Jacksonville-based professional dancers Keaton Thomas and Ashley Byers-Thomas are taking on the roles of Snow King and Queen. They also happen to share a home as husband and wife when they leave the stage.”
on August 18, 2014 at the age of 23 she divorced Keaton T
At the end of 2014-2015 season Ashley Byers suffered a career ending injury torn hamstring and announced on Facebook that she had retired from ballet after six years to pursue a career in modeling.
February 18, 2015, she joined MayhemModel. She was a swimsuit model Known online as Christina Alessia on ModelMayhem.com
In April 2016 Ashley was introduced as a “retired ballerina” at the Illinois GOP Convention and was hired by Donald Trump’s campaign in Florida, serving as an office staffer in Sarasota. Her role included managing the campaign office and she received a monthly salary of $3,000 plus expenses. Source
Ashley became District Manager alongside of her mother Alicia Byers: “Donald Trump is projected to win the SEC with Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia and then he will also win Oklahoma,
Vermont and the Massachusetts primaries on the Republican side. Ground Game at Donald Trump Campaign State HQ 1517 State St Sarasota Fl Is Going Full Tilt 7 Days a Week Under Direction of DM’s Ashley Byers and Alicia
Byers. Please contact Ashley Byers at or at abyers@donaldtrump.com or Call Ashley Byers 941-955-6300 for any questions about volunteer activities at our State Headquarters in Sarasota Fl.”
Source
Donald Trump’s campaign paid more than $22,000 to a Florida model with little apparent political experience to work as a local office manager.
Publication June 27, 2016
on August 25, 2016, Doug crossed paths with Ashley Byers at Ben Carson’s Palm Beach residence, shortly after the conclusion of Carson’s presidential campaign. Despite their age difference Doug being
54 once divorced and widowed, and Ashley, 24 and divorced had an instant connection and love from first site. Ashley, with her classical beauty—bright blue eyes, glossy brown hair, and the grace of a dancer—had
been actively involved in Donald Trump’s campaign team in Florida, attending rallies and working in the campaign office. Meanwhile, Doug had strong connections to influential donors associated with Ben Carson
Contributions
Two days after meeting Ashley, Doug departed for Israel on a business trip, he and Ashley maintained constant communication through passionate texts. By September 1, 2016, only six days after meeting—Doug and Ashley exchanged heartfelt “I love you”s over text. By the time Doug returned from Israel, they had already decided to marry, keeping their plans discreet, even from Doug’s teenage daughter.
Their wedding took place on September 6, 2016, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Charleston. The intimate ceremony was attended by a single witness, with Doug’s friend Trip Cormeny officiating..
Ashley moved into Doug’s house in Mount Pleasant, but she struggled to bond with her new stepdaughter, Eva, who was 15 years old who was still mourning the loss of her mother just nine month prior, Doug’s second wife,
Renee Cousar Benefield.





Evidence
On September 27, 2020, dispatchers in Manatee County received a 911 call around 6 p.m. from a neighbor John Sant to report a shooting at the home. Ashley had walked to his house holding a .45 caliber gun and said Doug had attacked her and she shot him. Doug died an hour later at a local hospital.
Ashley Benefield ran to her neighbor’s home in Bradenton, Florida on September 27, 2020 after she shot and killed Douglas Benefield.
‘I heard a very loud pounding on my door,’ neighbor Josh Sant testified on Tuesday, as Ashley faces murder charges for the veteran’s death, according to Fox 13. ‘It kind of startled me.’
he opened the door to find Ashley, who told him that her husband attacked her and she shot him.
Sant then called 911, telling officers, ‘She just came over, her estranged husband attacked her and she said she shot him,’
1961
- Douglas Glass Benefield born on October 2, 1961, in Palo Alto, California to Johnnie and Suzanne Benefield.
1980
- Doug Graduated Huntsville High School
1984
- Doug Benefield attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where he graduated in 1984 with a degree in Biology
1991
- Ashley Christina Byers was born on December 5, 1991, in Nueces, Texas, the daughter of Alicia and Raymond.
1992
- January 18, 1994 At age of 28 Doug married his first wife Tracy B but that marriage only lasted six month.
1996
- December 23, 1996 Doug and Tracy B Divorce was finally finalized
1998
Ashley Christina Byers began dancing at age 8 in Annapolis, Maryland where she danced at several local studios
1999
- Doug Benefiled retired from the Navy.
- December 25, 1999 Doug married Renee Cousar Benefield. Doug moved in into Rene’s home she shared with her two kids from a previous marriage.
2000
- Doug Benefield founded the “Kiva Han” restaurant in Charleston while consulting in security and communication technology for the US government.
2001
- Doug and Renee welcomed their daughter, Eva.
2015
- December 2015 – Doug’s wife, Renee, passed away. Doug and Renee daughter Eva had come home from school to discover her mother Renee’s dead body.
- In 2015, Ashley Byers met Donald Trump at a campaign event. ” He offered me a job on the spot,” she said. She was spending long days at crowded rallies, sleeping at Mar-a-Lago, and traveling on Trump’s plane
2016
- On August 25, 2016, Doug Benefield and Ashley Byers met at Ben Carson’s Palm Beach home after he ended his presidential campaign. She worked in Donald Trump’s campaign office in Sarasota, Florida, when they met. He was a consultant from South Carolina, a former Navy pilot who worked with technology companies and defense contractors – cybersolutionsinternational.com
- On August 27, 2016, Doug flew to Israel for a week long work trip
- On September 1, 2016, six days after the meeting, they exchanged “I love you” messages via text.
2017
- In 2017, They started an American National Ballet company –
Website
–
Facebook
- August 3, 2017, Ashley finds out she is pregnant.
- August 26, 2017 Ashley moved back to Bradenton, Florida, where her mother could care for her full-time.
- September, 2017, Doug moves to Florida and gets an apartment near Ashley’s Mother.
- September 2017, Ashley and her mother returned to Charleston. She packed up her belongings and left a note. Ashley called Doug “possessive” and “controlling.” She wrote that the incident when Doug had fired a gun
into the ceiling as well as other unsafe behavior had left her fearful for her life and the safety of her unborn child.
Note to Doug
- October 20, 2017 Business closed – Article – Ashley’s Statement
2018
- In March 2018, three weeks before her due date, she checked into the hospital and said her husband had poisoned her.
- March 19, 2018 Doctors performed a C-section and delivered a healthy baby girl. Doug didn’t know she’d been born.
- April 2018, Ashley filed an injunction in attempt to deny Doug custody or visitation to their baby.
- July 2018 Hearing for Injunction Hearing for protection from Domestic Violence
- September, 2018 The judge denies the motion and sets up visitation schedule for Doug and Ashley.
2019
- In August 2019, Ashley showed up to drop off their daughter; she was wearing an engagement ring. Doug hired a private investigator who said Ashley was seeing someone else. Doug filed for divorce. Ashley then accused him of physically and sexually abusing their daughter. Doug denied the allegations, and CPS found no evidence of abuse. Ashley claimed Doug poisoned her and his first wife, Renee. Renee’s autopsy says she died of coronary artery sclerosis, a heart condition.
- 2019 They reconciled again, but later that year they broke up again.
2020
- In the summer of 2020, Ashley and Doug suddenly reconciled again
- In the spring of 2020, Ashley told Doug she is moving to Maryland with their then 2-1/2-year-old daughter and Ashley’s mother, Alicia Byers.
- Doug finds a job in Maryland, rents an apartment close to Ashley’s mother home.
- On September 27, 2020, Doug packed a U-Haul with the family’s possessions. They were moving to Maryland with their daughter and Ashley’s mother.
- That night, a neighbor called 911 to report a shooting at the home. Ashley had walked to his house holding a .45 caliber gun and said Doug had attacked her, and she shot him. Doug died an hour later at a local hospital.
- On November 4, 2020, Ashley was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
- She posted bond a few weeks later and is awaiting trial. She pleaded not guilty.
Text Messages
Doug Benefield Kicked and punched family pets out of anger, during arguments with Ashley Benefield
- Doug Benefield Message to Ashley
- Doug Benefield Message to Ashley
- Doug Benefield Message to Ashley
- R. Benefield Message to Doug