A Tampa jury convicted Billy Adams of first-degree murder for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child, setting the stage for a potential death penalty sentence that will be decided by the same jurors who found him guilty.

Deliberation and Verdict

The jury deliberated nearly six hours Tuesday before returning guilty verdicts on two counts of first-degree murder and killing an unborn child. Adams, now 25, allegedly shot Alana Sims, 22, in January 2023 while she was five months pregnant. Prosecutors said Adams believed he was the father of the unborn child at the time of the killings. The penalty phase began Wednesday morning, where jurors will hear additional testimony before recommending either life in prison or execution.

Prosecution’s Case

State prosecutors told jurors Adams lured Sims to a secluded, unfinished area in the Easton Park neighborhood of New Tampa using vague directions that did not lead to any specific home or address. The shooting occurred just three days after Adams was acquitted in an unrelated double-murder trial. Prosecutor Lindsey Hodges of the 13th Judicial Circuit told the jury Adams manipulated his victim with false promises of love and a future together, stating his sole purpose was to eliminate both Sims and her unborn baby.

Key Witness Testimony

The jury heard from Lakenya Brantley, identified as Adams’ primary girlfriend, who detailed their relationship and read text messages sent to Adams the day before the shooting. Convicted felon Bryan Boggs, an inmate at Hillsborough County Jail when Adams was arrested, testified that Adams discussed defense strategies with him and wrote letters from jail to three women instructing them to create an alibi. Boggs copied these letters in his own handwriting to hide their origin from authorities.

Defense Strategy

Adams’ defense attorney challenged Boggs’ credibility and argued that everyone, including Sims’ family, believed Adams was the father of the unborn child when that was not true. The defense maintained that Sims knew their relationship was not exclusive. Despite these arguments, the jury found the prosecution’s evidence compelling enough to convict on all charges. The same jurors will now determine whether Adams receives a death sentence or life imprisonment without parole.