DAYTONA BEACH, FL – In a dramatic court decision, a Florida man was pronounced guilty of a brutal crime that left his wife’s family shattered. Shantell Adkins, 37, faces life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm, alongside two counts of aggravated assault, following a swift trial in Volusia County.
The heart-wrenching incident occurred on October 19, 2023. Adkins and his wife, 34-year-old Shawntai Adkins, were engulfed in an intense domestic dispute at their home on Fulton Street. Amidst the turmoil, Shawntai reached out to her parents for support, a call that turned perilous when her husband reacted violently.
On arrival, Shawntai’s parents attempted to escort her out of harm’s way. In a tragic turn, Adkins grabbed a rifle and fatally shot Shawntai in the neck right in front of her horrified parents, ending her life instantly.
State Attorney R.J. Larizza condemned the act as a parent’s ultimate horror, witnessing the life of their child brutally taken. “Another family has been left devastated by this unforgivable act of domestic violence,” he said.
Following the murder, Shantell Adkins turned the gun on himself, inflicting a shoulder wound. Responding officers found him in the property’s front yard and subsequently took him to a local hospital for treatment.
Earlier that same day, Shawntai had uncovered her husband’s infidelity, learning of his betrayal via messages uncovered on his Apple Watch. This revelation reportedly led Shawntai to declare her intent to seek a divorce, according to her mother’s deposition.
Tensions further escalated when Shawntai accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while intoxicated, just days after he had been admitted to an alcohol recovery program. These compounding issues brought Shawntai to seek her parents’ assistance for the last time.
By 6:30 p.m. that evening, the situation spiraled into a fatal confrontation. Law enforcement accounts confirm that Shawntai’s choice to involve her parents, intended to inspire safety, culminated in a harrowing scene of domestic violence.