Husband ‘executed’ wife in front of her parents who came to help her, FL cops say

A woman called her parents for help to defuse an argument with her husband the day she found out he was cheating on her, then he “executed” her in front of them, according to Florida prosecutors and her family.

A jury deliberated for 17 minutes before finding 37-year-old Shantell Adkins guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault, the State Attorney’s Office for the Seventh Judicial Circuit announced June 4.

McClatchy News reached out to Adkins’ attorney for comment June 5 but did not immediately receive a response.

The mother of slain 34-year-old Shawntai Adkins said during a deposition that her daughter had found out earlier the day she was killed that her husband had been cheating on her.

She learned of his infidelity through messages on his Apple Watch, and she told her mom she was done and was going to divorce him, her mother recounted during the deposition.

On Oct. 19, 2023, the wife accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while he was intoxicated, days after he was admitted to a medical facility for alcohol abuse treatment under the Marchman Act, according to court documents filed in Volusia County.

The woman’s mom said her daughter called and asked her parents to come over because her husband had taken her bike and wouldn’t tell her where it was.

The parents went over to the Daytona Beach home and were asking their son-in-law where the motorcycle was, then he got angry and got out his rifle, deputies said.

The parents and the wife started leaving, then Adkins fired off a shot, killing his wife, the Daytona Beach Police Department said in an arrest affidavit.

The parents started running, and the father broke his leg while trying to jump over a fence, according to prosecutors and police.

Shantell Adkins also shot himself in the shoulder, and he was hospitalized while his wife died at the scene, police said.

His defense tried to prevent prosecutors from using his alcohol use or alleged infidelity in court, but a judge denied the motions, saying prosecutors could use those details to establish motive for the woman’s death.

Adkins is expected to be sentenced to mandatory life in prison June 23.

This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Husband ‘executed’ wife in front of her parents who came to help her, FL cops say."