A Florida jury took just 17 minutes to convict Shantell Adkins of first-degree murder after he executed his wife in front of her parents during a domestic dispute in Daytona Beach.
Key Takeaways
- Shantell Adkins was convicted of first-degree murder for fatally shooting his wife, Shawntai Adkins, and faces mandatory life imprisonment without parole.
- The murder occurred after Shawntai accused her husband of infidelity and called her parents to help de-escalate the situation, only to be shot in their presence.
- After killing his wife, Adkins threatened her parents and shot himself in the shoulder, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries.
- The jury deliberated for only 17 minutes before returning the guilty verdict, with formal sentencing scheduled for June 23.
- Adkins was also convicted on two counts of aggravated assault for threatening his in-laws after the murder.
Swift Justice in a Domestic Murder Case
In one of the fastest deliberations on record for a first-degree murder case, a Daytona Beach jury needed just 17 minutes to convict Shantell Adkins for the execution-style killing of his wife. The October 19, 2023, incident stemmed from what should have been a resolvable domestic disput,e but instead ended in tragedy when Adkins shot his wife, Shawntai, in the neck as she attempted to leave their home with her parents. The speed of the verdict underscores the overwhelming evidence presented against Adkins, who now faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole for his actions.
“Adkins executed our victim in front of her parents and then threatened to do the same to them. Another domestic murder and another devastated family,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza
Parents Witness Daughter’s Murder
What makes this case particularly heartbreaking is that Shawntai’s parents witnessed their daughter’s murder after being called to help mediate a domestic dispute. According to court records, the argument began when Shawntai discovered suspicious text messages on her husband’s phone and accused him of infidelity. The situation further escalated when she confronted him about driving her motorcycle while intoxicated. Seeking support during the heated exchange, Shawntai called her parents to their home, hoping their presence would de-escalate the situation. Instead, as the three attempted to leave the residence, Adkins shot his wife in full view of her parents.
Following the fatal shooting, Adkins turned his aggression toward his in-laws, threatening them with the same firearm. Shawntai’s father sustained a broken leg while fleeing the scene in terror. After the attack on his wife and in-laws, Adkins shot himself in the shoulder in what prosecutors characterized as a self-inflicted wound meant to create sympathy or confusion about the events. When police arrived, they found Adkins in the front yard and transported him to a medical center for treatment of his non-life-threatening injury.
“It is every parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza
The Path to Conviction
The case, prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak, presented irrefutable evidence of premeditated murder. Investigators revealed that Adkins had recently entered treatment for alcohol abuse, suggesting underlying issues that may have contributed to his violent behavior. However, the jury was unmoved by any potential mitigating circumstances, swiftly returning guilty verdicts on both the first-degree murder charge and two counts of aggravated assault for threatening his in-laws. Circuit Judge A. Kathleen McNeilly will formally pronounce the mandatory life sentence at a hearing scheduled for June 23.
This case highlights the persistent and deadly nature of domestic violence in American communities. While law enforcement continues to work diligently to address domestic disputes before they turn fatal, this tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly family arguments can escalate to deadly violence. For Shawntai’s parents, who came to support their daughter only to witness her murder, the swift justice delivered by the jury provides little comfort for their immeasurable loss, having to live with the memory of watching their child’s execution by someone who had vowed to love and protect her.
