Topline: The man shot his wife in the neck as she tried to leave with her parents after discovering he had been unfaithful.
Published: June 9, 2025 7:00 am ET
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Shantell Adkins (via Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit)
DELAND, FL — A jury has convicted 37-year-old Shantell Adkins of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault for the 2023 killing of his wife, 34-year-old Shawntai Adkins, during a domestic dispute.
The guilty verdict came after just 17 minutes of jury deliberation following a two-day trial, according to a press release from the Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit.
Adkins is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. He faces mandatory life in prison for the murder conviction.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on October 19, 2023, at the couple’s home in Daytona Beach. That day, Shawntai Adkins discovered her husband had been cheating on her, a revelation she learned by reading messages on his Apple Watch, according to her mother’s deposition testimony reported by the Miami Herald.
She told her mother she was “done” and planned to divorce him.
Later that same day, Shawntai accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while intoxicated. This came just days after he had been admitted to a treatment facility for alcohol abuse under Florida’s Marchman Act, court documents state.
Feeling unsafe, Shawntai called her parents for help defusing the situation and locating her missing motorcycle. When they arrived at the Daytona Beach home, a heated exchange followed. According to the Daytona Beach Police Department, Adkins grew angry, retrieved a rifle, and shot his wife in the neck as she attempted to leave the house with her parents.
Shawntai died at the scene.
As her parents fled, her father broke his leg trying to jump a fence but later recovered after medical treatment. Adkins also shot himself in the shoulder and was hospitalized following the shooting, police said.
“It is every parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. “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.”
The prosecution team, led by Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak and Chief Assistant State Attorney John Reid, successfully argued that Adkins’ actions were premeditated and driven by motive.
According to the Miami Herald, Adkins’ defense team attempted to block prosecutors from referencing his alcohol abuse and infidelity during the trial. However, the judge ruled that both were relevant in establishing motive.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department, and law enforcement’s arrest affidavit confirmed that Adkins fired the fatal shot as his wife and her parents were walking away.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Jury Takes 17 Minutes to Convict Florida Man of Murdering His Wife in Front of Her Parents
The man shot his wife in the neck as she tried to leave with her parents after discovering he had been unfaithful.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 9, 2025 7:00 am ET
Shantell Adkins (via Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit)
DELAND, FL — A jury has convicted 37-year-old Shantell Adkins of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault for the 2023 killing of his wife, 34-year-old Shawntai Adkins, during a domestic dispute.
The guilty verdict came after just 17 minutes of jury deliberation following a two-day trial, according to a press release from the Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit.
Adkins is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. He faces mandatory life in prison for the murder conviction.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on October 19, 2023, at the couple’s home in Daytona Beach. That day, Shawntai Adkins discovered her husband had been cheating on her, a revelation she learned by reading messages on his Apple Watch, according to her mother’s deposition testimony reported by the Miami Herald.
She told her mother she was “done” and planned to divorce him.
Later that same day, Shawntai accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while intoxicated. This came just days after he had been admitted to a treatment facility for alcohol abuse under Florida’s Marchman Act, court documents state.
Feeling unsafe, Shawntai called her parents for help defusing the situation and locating her missing motorcycle. When they arrived at the Daytona Beach home, a heated exchange followed. According to the Daytona Beach Police Department, Adkins grew angry, retrieved a rifle, and shot his wife in the neck as she attempted to leave the house with her parents.
Shawntai died at the scene.
As her parents fled, her father broke his leg trying to jump a fence but later recovered after medical treatment. Adkins also shot himself in the shoulder and was hospitalized following the shooting, police said.
“It is every parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. “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.”
The prosecution team, led by Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak and Chief Assistant State Attorney John Reid, successfully argued that Adkins’ actions were premeditated and driven by motive.
According to the Miami Herald, Adkins’ defense team attempted to block prosecutors from referencing his alcohol abuse and infidelity during the trial. However, the judge ruled that both were relevant in establishing motive.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department, and law enforcement’s arrest affidavit confirmed that Adkins fired the fatal shot as his wife and her parents were walking away.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Jury Takes 17 Minutes to Convict Florida Man of Murdering His Wife in Front of Her Parents
The man shot his wife in the neck as she tried to leave with her parents after discovering he had been unfaithful.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 9, 2025 7:00 am ET
Shantell Adkins (via Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit)
DELAND, FL — A jury has convicted 37-year-old Shantell Adkins of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault for the 2023 killing of his wife, 34-year-old Shawntai Adkins, during a domestic dispute.
The guilty verdict came after just 17 minutes of jury deliberation following a two-day trial, according to a press release from the Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit.
Adkins is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. He faces mandatory life in prison for the murder conviction.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on October 19, 2023, at the couple’s home in Daytona Beach. That day, Shawntai Adkins discovered her husband had been cheating on her, a revelation she learned by reading messages on his Apple Watch, according to her mother’s deposition testimony reported by the Miami Herald.
She told her mother she was “done” and planned to divorce him.
Later that same day, Shawntai accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while intoxicated. This came just days after he had been admitted to a treatment facility for alcohol abuse under Florida’s Marchman Act, court documents state.
Feeling unsafe, Shawntai called her parents for help defusing the situation and locating her missing motorcycle. When they arrived at the Daytona Beach home, a heated exchange followed. According to the Daytona Beach Police Department, Adkins grew angry, retrieved a rifle, and shot his wife in the neck as she attempted to leave the house with her parents.
Shawntai died at the scene.
As her parents fled, her father broke his leg trying to jump a fence but later recovered after medical treatment. Adkins also shot himself in the shoulder and was hospitalized following the shooting, police said.
“It is every parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. “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.”
The prosecution team, led by Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak and Chief Assistant State Attorney John Reid, successfully argued that Adkins’ actions were premeditated and driven by motive.
According to the Miami Herald, Adkins’ defense team attempted to block prosecutors from referencing his alcohol abuse and infidelity during the trial. However, the judge ruled that both were relevant in establishing motive.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department, and law enforcement’s arrest affidavit confirmed that Adkins fired the fatal shot as his wife and her parents were walking away.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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