Topline: A Tampa jury recommended death for Billy Adams in the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and life without parole for the murder of Alana Sims.
Published: September 6, 2026 11:34 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — A Hillsborough County jury recommended Wednesday that Tampa rapper Billy Adams be sentenced to death for the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and to life in prison without parole for the murder of 22-year-old Alana Sims.
According to WFLA and courtroom coverage from FOX 13, the split recommendation came one day after jurors found Adams guilty on two first-degree murder counts tied to the January 2023 deaths of Sims and her unborn child.
Prosecutors said Adams lured Sims, who was five months pregnant, to an unfinished area in the Easton Park neighborhood of New Tampa and shot her in the back of the head from about three feet away. Sims was found dead near her car on Jan. 30, 2023, and her 18-month-old child was found asleep inside the vehicle but unharmed.
Trial testimony showed Adams believed he was the father of the baby at the time of the shooting, though later testing determined he was not. Jurors also heard that Sims was killed three days after Adams was acquitted in an unrelated double-murder case, and that prosecutors argued he wanted Sims and the pregnancy out of the way so he could remain with another girlfriend.
During the penalty phase, Adams’ stepmother and two younger brothers testified for the defense and described him as a strong student from a supportive home who earned a degree from the University of South Florida. A Spencer hearing is set for Dec. 1, when the defense can present additional evidence before the judge decides whether to follow the jury’s recommendation and formally sentence Adams.
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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Jury Recommends Death For Billy Adams In Unborn Child Killing, Life For Alana Sims Murder
A Tampa jury recommended death for Billy Adams in the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and life without parole for the murder of Alana Sims.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 6, 2026 11:34 am ET
Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — A Hillsborough County jury recommended Wednesday that Tampa rapper Billy Adams be sentenced to death for the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and to life in prison without parole for the murder of 22-year-old Alana Sims.
According to WFLA and courtroom coverage from FOX 13, the split recommendation came one day after jurors found Adams guilty on two first-degree murder counts tied to the January 2023 deaths of Sims and her unborn child.
Prosecutors said Adams lured Sims, who was five months pregnant, to an unfinished area in the Easton Park neighborhood of New Tampa and shot her in the back of the head from about three feet away. Sims was found dead near her car on Jan. 30, 2023, and her 18-month-old child was found asleep inside the vehicle but unharmed.
Trial testimony showed Adams believed he was the father of the baby at the time of the shooting, though later testing determined he was not. Jurors also heard that Sims was killed three days after Adams was acquitted in an unrelated double-murder case, and that prosecutors argued he wanted Sims and the pregnancy out of the way so he could remain with another girlfriend.
During the penalty phase, Adams’ stepmother and two younger brothers testified for the defense and described him as a strong student from a supportive home who earned a degree from the University of South Florida. A Spencer hearing is set for Dec. 1, when the defense can present additional evidence before the judge decides whether to follow the jury’s recommendation and formally sentence Adams.
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
Jury Recommends Death For Billy Adams In Unborn Child Killing, Life For Alana Sims Murder
A Tampa jury recommended death for Billy Adams in the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and life without parole for the murder of Alana Sims.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 6, 2026 11:34 am ET
Billy Adams, left, and Alana Sims (via Tampa Police Department / Family handout)
TAMPA, FL — A Hillsborough County jury recommended Wednesday that Tampa rapper Billy Adams be sentenced to death for the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child and to life in prison without parole for the murder of 22-year-old Alana Sims.
According to WFLA and courtroom coverage from FOX 13, the split recommendation came one day after jurors found Adams guilty on two first-degree murder counts tied to the January 2023 deaths of Sims and her unborn child.
Prosecutors said Adams lured Sims, who was five months pregnant, to an unfinished area in the Easton Park neighborhood of New Tampa and shot her in the back of the head from about three feet away. Sims was found dead near her car on Jan. 30, 2023, and her 18-month-old child was found asleep inside the vehicle but unharmed.
Trial testimony showed Adams believed he was the father of the baby at the time of the shooting, though later testing determined he was not. Jurors also heard that Sims was killed three days after Adams was acquitted in an unrelated double-murder case, and that prosecutors argued he wanted Sims and the pregnancy out of the way so he could remain with another girlfriend.
During the penalty phase, Adams’ stepmother and two younger brothers testified for the defense and described him as a strong student from a supportive home who earned a degree from the University of South Florida. A Spencer hearing is set for Dec. 1, when the defense can present additional evidence before the judge decides whether to follow the jury’s recommendation and formally sentence Adams.
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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