The prosecution is asking for the death penalty in the case of a man accused of killing his pregnant fiancée just days after he was acquitted of double murder. Previously, police in Tampa, Florida, stated that 25-year-old Billy Bennett Adams III lured out 22-year-old Alana Sims before shooting and killing her because he did not want to be a father.
“The capital felony was a homicide and was committed in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification,” said the filing on Friday from the State Attorney’s Office of the 13th Judicial Circuit.
The pregnancy of Sims had progressed to the fifth month. “The victim of the capital felony was a person less than 12 years of age,” prosecutors wrote of her unborn child. Adams was charged with first-degree murder and fetal homicide by injury last month, but she entered a not-guilty plea.
After being found not guilty of murdering Trevon Albury and Daniel Thompson in 2020, he was given a second chance at life on January 27. His defense was that the men were committing a heist of Joseph Meeks’ recording studio when he opened fire on them.
“Mr. Albury points a gun to the back of Mr. Meeks’ head,” Adams said, according to KTSU. “Mr. Meeks is at the computer, his back is turned. He doesn’t know what’s going on.” He said he shot and killed Thompson during a scuffle over the weapon.
“I turned around, and I saw he had a gun in his hand and he said they were going to rob,” Meeks testified. Adams allegedly invited Sims to a party, just three days after his acquittal, when they pretended to celebrate.
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Instead, he allegedly shot and killed her before leaving her body. According to police, her 18-month-old son was discovered alive in the car she had borrowed on the way to meet Adams in the Easton Park neighborhood.
Adams, her boyfriend, was identified by the investigators. They claim he lied to them, telling them at first that he didn’t realize she was deceased.
“Further Adams stated he did not believe he was the father of the victim’s unborn child and stated he had not seen, spoken with, or texted the victim in several months,” authorities said.
“Lastly, Adams told detectives that he was at home the entire evening of 1/30/2023 and that he did not leave the house until the next day.”
The police say they have evidence that he drove his father’s car that night thanks to security footage and logs kept by the gated neighborhood. When asked about the disparity, he allegedly told police that he had gone out with pals and had video evidence to back up his story.
However, authorities said that this tape had been doctored to misrepresent the true date of the murder. The date on the email was February 1st. After obtaining a search warrant, police said they confiscated Adams’ phone and learned he was in contact with a lady called Lakenya Brantley. The police said they knew why Sims was killed after finding this: During these messages, a potential motive was developed.
“During the messages that occurred on January 29, 2023, Adams III communicates that “tomorrow this s— done.” Other messages indicate that Brantley was upset concerning the victim’s pregnancy and that Adams, III wanted to have his life and that “she” wouldn’t be included. Brantley messages Adams, II back indicating “this ain’t the way baby”. As mentioned these IMessages occurred on January 29, 2023 and the murder of the victim occurred the next day on January 30, 2023. Lastly, the cell phone extraction of the phone belonging to Adams, III had a search of maps on 1/30/2023 for the Easton Park subdivision (search occurred at 6:43 p.m.)”
Adams initially denied communicating with Sims on January 30 after his detention. According to the police report, he confirmed meeting with her only after being challenged about the discrepancies in his account. Yet he allegedly said he did it in self-defense, killing Sims. According to the police, he later changed his story:
Initially the defendant stated that the victim pulled a gun on him and while the defendant wrestled with the victim he shot her. When the defendant could not demonstrate the events the defendant changed his statement to the fact that the victim pulled a gun on him and he was able to get the gun away from the victim and then shot her in the head as self-defense. When asked about the location of the gun, the defendant stated he threw it away on his way home after the shooting. Adams, III further confirmed that he knew the victim was pregnant and that he could possibly be the father.
According to court documents, Adams is still being held without bond at the Hillsborough County, Florida, Falkenburg Road Prison.
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