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Volusia County man convicted of murdering wife in front of her parents

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Published  June 4, 2025 4:23pm EDT
Volusia County
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • A Volusia County jury found Shantell Adkins guilty of first-degree murder for fatally shooting his wife in front of her parents during a domestic dispute in 2023.
    • He faces a mandatory life sentence at a hearing scheduled for June 23.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Volusia County jury took just 17 minutes to convict a Daytona Beach man of first-degree murder after he fatally shot his wife in front of her parents during a domestic argument two years ago.

What we know:

Shantell Adkins was found guilty as charged on Wednesday following a two-day trial. He was also convicted on two counts of aggravated assault.

Shantell Adkins

Prosecutors said the shooting occurred Oct. 19, 2023, after an argument at the couple’s home escalated. When the victim called her parents for help, Adkins retrieved a rifle and shot her in the neck as she attempted to leave with them. She died at the scene. Her father broke his leg fleeing the gunfire but later recovered.

"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."

What's next:

The Daytona Beach Police Department led the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak and Chief Assistant State Attorney John Reid. Judge Kathleen McNeilly, who presided over the case, is scheduled to sentence Adkins on June 23. He faces a mandatory life sentence.

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The Source: The information in this article comes from the Volusia County Clerk of Courts and the Office of R.J. Larizza State Attorney, Seventh Judicial Circuit.

Volusia CountyCrime and Public Safety