Florida – A Florida man has been convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault after killing his wife when she tried to leave him. The verdict came after a two-day trial, with the jury delivering a decision in just fifteen minutes, according to the State Attorney’s Office. The 37-year-old defendant, Shantell, now faces a mandatory life sentence, with formal sentencing scheduled in two weeks.
The case stems from the October 2023 shooting of 34-year-old Shantai, the defendant’s spouse, at their home in Florida. According to trial evidence, tensions between the couple had erupted earlier that day after the victim discovered Shantell had been unfaithful. She had reportedly found incriminating messages on his device and informed her parents that she intended to leave him and file for divorce.
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The argument intensified further when the victim accused her husband of taking her motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol—just days after he had returned from an alcohol treatment facility.
Fearing for her safety, the woman called her parents that evening to help defuse the situation. When they arrived around 6:30 p.m., Shantell allegedly retrieved a rifle and fired a shot. As the victim attempted to leave the house with her parents, he shot her in the neck, killing her at the scene. Her father was injured while fleeing and later treated for a leg wound.
Following the attack, Shantell turned the gun on himself, inflicting a non-life-threatening injury. He was treated for the wound before being taken into custody.
The case highlighted a tragic chain of events sparked by domestic violence and betrayal, culminating in a fatal decision made in front of the victim’s elderly parents.
