Topline: Prosecutors say Tampa rapper Billy Adams lured his pregnant girlfriend to a secluded New Tampa road, shot her, and left her toddler asleep inside the SUV.
Published: August 31, 2026 11:34 am ET
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Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — The murder trial is underway for Tampa rapper Billy Adams, who is accused of killing his 22-year-old girlfriend, Alana Sims, while she was pregnant and leaving her young son alive inside the vehicle she drove to meet him.
Opening statements began this week in Hillsborough County, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in a case that alleges Adams killed Sims and her unborn child in January 2023 after luring her to an unfinished stretch of road in the Easton Park area of New Tampa, according to reports from WFLA and FOX 13 News.
Prosecutors told jurors Sims was five months pregnant and that Adams believed he was the father of the unborn child. They said he sent Sims vague directions that did not lead to a home or specific address, then brought her to a secluded area where she was shot. Her body was found beside the SUV, and her 18-month-old son was found unharmed and sleeping inside.
The state also pointed to text messages it says show Adams was trying to keep a separate relationship going and wanted to get rid of Sims. Prosecutors said surveillance footage and cellphone data tied a Chevrolet Malibu connected to Adams to the area that night, and they argued his alibi fell apart after investigators determined a cellphone video he provided had actually been recorded two days earlier.
Investigators have said Adams eventually admitted he shot Sims but claimed self-defense, an account prosecutors disputed by pointing to evidence that she was shot from behind. Defense attorneys urged jurors to closely weigh witness testimony, consistency, and possible bias as the trial continues.
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.
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Murder Trial Begins For Tampa Rapper Accused Of Killing Girlfriend, Unborn Child
Prosecutors say Tampa rapper Billy Adams lured his pregnant girlfriend to a secluded New Tampa road, shot her, and left her toddler asleep inside the SUV.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: August 31, 2026 11:34 am ET
Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — The murder trial is underway for Tampa rapper Billy Adams, who is accused of killing his 22-year-old girlfriend, Alana Sims, while she was pregnant and leaving her young son alive inside the vehicle she drove to meet him.
Opening statements began this week in Hillsborough County, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in a case that alleges Adams killed Sims and her unborn child in January 2023 after luring her to an unfinished stretch of road in the Easton Park area of New Tampa, according to reports from WFLA and FOX 13 News.
Prosecutors told jurors Sims was five months pregnant and that Adams believed he was the father of the unborn child. They said he sent Sims vague directions that did not lead to a home or specific address, then brought her to a secluded area where she was shot. Her body was found beside the SUV, and her 18-month-old son was found unharmed and sleeping inside.
The state also pointed to text messages it says show Adams was trying to keep a separate relationship going and wanted to get rid of Sims. Prosecutors said surveillance footage and cellphone data tied a Chevrolet Malibu connected to Adams to the area that night, and they argued his alibi fell apart after investigators determined a cellphone video he provided had actually been recorded two days earlier.
Investigators have said Adams eventually admitted he shot Sims but claimed self-defense, an account prosecutors disputed by pointing to evidence that she was shot from behind. Defense attorneys urged jurors to closely weigh witness testimony, consistency, and possible bias as the trial continues.
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.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Murder Trial Begins For Tampa Rapper Accused Of Killing Girlfriend, Unborn Child
Prosecutors say Tampa rapper Billy Adams lured his pregnant girlfriend to a secluded New Tampa road, shot her, and left her toddler asleep inside the SUV.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: August 31, 2026 11:34 am ET
Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — The murder trial is underway for Tampa rapper Billy Adams, who is accused of killing his 22-year-old girlfriend, Alana Sims, while she was pregnant and leaving her young son alive inside the vehicle she drove to meet him.
Opening statements began this week in Hillsborough County, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in a case that alleges Adams killed Sims and her unborn child in January 2023 after luring her to an unfinished stretch of road in the Easton Park area of New Tampa, according to reports from WFLA and FOX 13 News.
Prosecutors told jurors Sims was five months pregnant and that Adams believed he was the father of the unborn child. They said he sent Sims vague directions that did not lead to a home or specific address, then brought her to a secluded area where she was shot. Her body was found beside the SUV, and her 18-month-old son was found unharmed and sleeping inside.
The state also pointed to text messages it says show Adams was trying to keep a separate relationship going and wanted to get rid of Sims. Prosecutors said surveillance footage and cellphone data tied a Chevrolet Malibu connected to Adams to the area that night, and they argued his alibi fell apart after investigators determined a cellphone video he provided had actually been recorded two days earlier.
Investigators have said Adams eventually admitted he shot Sims but claimed self-defense, an account prosecutors disputed by pointing to evidence that she was shot from behind. Defense attorneys urged jurors to closely weigh witness testimony, consistency, and possible bias as the trial continues.
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.
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