Ashley Benefield sentenced in 'Black Swan murder' case
Ashley Benefield was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the notorious ‘Black Swan murder’ case. (WTVT)
A former ballerina convicted of killing her husband in the notorious "Black Swan" murder case, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday, and her stepdaughter condemned her in an emotional statement to the court.
Ashley Benefield was found guilty of manslaughter in July for the 2020 fatal shooting of her 58-year-old husband, Doug Benefield, in Florida, amid a custody battle over their daughter.
Benefield, 33, looked down and appeared stone-faced Monday as she was sentenced to two decades, with credit for time served, followed by 10 years of probation.
"I’ve waited so long to speak to her, face to face," Doug’s daughter, Eva Benefield, said during her victim impact statement. "I hope prison serves her well.
"What hurts me the most is not the thought of not having my dad anymore because I will always have him around in spirit. … What breaks my heart the most is thinking about how he found you at such a vulnerable part of his life."
EX-BALLERINA CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER IN HIGH-PROFILE 'BLACK SWAN MURDER' CASE
Former ballet dancer Ashley Benefield was convicted in the fatal shooting of her husband, Doug Benefield, in September 2020. (Facebook)
Ashley Benefield was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the "Black Swan" murder case. (WTVT)
The manslaughter conviction was a step down from the original second-degree murder charge Benefield faced for Doug's death inside her Lakewood Ranch, Florida, bedroom Sept. 27, 2020, in what has become known as the "Black Swan" case.
"To Doug … Ashley's this innocent, pure White Swan," Doug's family attorney, Stephanie Murphy, previously told CBS's "48 Hours."
"But underneath those white feathers … she's an evil woman. … She's the Black Swan."
FLORIDA FORMER BALLET DANCER CHARGED WITH MURDERING HUSBAND AMID CUSTODY BATTLE: POLICE
Ashley Benefield was found guilty of fatally shooting her husband, Doug Benefield, in the middle of a nasty custody battle. She said it was self-defense. (Facebook)
The former ballerina has claimed she fatally shot her husband in self-defense, arguing she opened fire on the Navy veteran after she had ordered him to leave her house and alleging he refused and hit her in the face, according to a motion filed by her attorneys last year.
"I thought he was going to kill me," Benefield testified during the trial. Investigators said Benefield did not show any signs of physical abuse after the shooting.
Benefield accused Doug of psychologically abusing her, but the allegations were never substantiated. She also accused him of poisoning her with heavy metals while she was pregnant, discharging a gun in their home and punching her dog.
Ashley Benefield, 31, is accused of gunning down her husband, Doug Benefield, in her Florida home in 2020, after she alleges he punched her. (Facebook)
Prosecutors have argued that her abuse claims and allegations were made in an effort to gain sole custody of their daughter.
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During Monday's hearing, the court ordered a mental health evaluation for Benefield for when she gets out of prison and is on probation after she was diagnosed with PTSD.
Fox News' Rebecca Rosenberg and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
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