Lakewood Ranch woman claimed self-defense when she killed her husband. Cops say it was murder

A 28-year-old Lakewood Ranch woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of her 58-year-old husband in late September.

Ashley Benefield was booked into the Manatee County jail on Wednesday and remains in jail without bond.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office named her as a suspect in the Sept. 28 shooting death of Doug Benefield, but did not charge her until Wednesday. Sheriff’s spokesman Randy Warren said at the time that detectives still had questions about how the shooting occurred.

According to court documents, the Benefields had a history of domestic-related issues and the couple had separated. The sheriff’s office said Thursday the couple were in the middle of a child custody dispute.

The sheriff’s office said that detectives ultimately determined that while Benefield claimed that her husband had attacked her, there was “no evidence that she was acting in self defense when she fired multiple shots at her husband.

“She claimed he was attacking her, but detectives found no signs that she had been physically abused.”

Doug Benefield was shot twice inside the home of Ashley Benefield’s mother’s home in the 11300 block of White Rock Terrace, in the Central Park subdivision. Doug Benefield, who lived in the same neighborhood, was taken to a local hospital, where he died a short time later, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said the case is still under investigation.

This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 10:37 AM.