About this episode

The episode explores the whirlwind romance and tragic end of Ashley Byers and Doug Benefield, raising questions about impulsive decisions in relationships.

In August 2016, 24-year-old Ashley Byers and 54-year-old Doug Benefield got married just 13 days after meeting. To a hopeless romantic, a whirlwind romance can seem like a dream. From a more practical standpoint, marrying someone you barely know can be perceived as impulsive and reckless. People close to the couple wondered - how well can you know someone in such a short span of time? In this case, it’s not clear whether Doug and Ashley’s rushed nuptials had anything to do with the relationship’s tragic end. And to this day, there remains much debate over the reasons why one of them would end up dead. Follow Jami on Instagram & TikTok @JamiOnAir and join the Serial Streamers true crime TV club! Subscribe to Jami’s YouTube channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jamionair⁠ Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime - Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092⁠. Research and writing by: Alison Schwartz. Want to advertise on this show? We’ve partnered with Cloud10 Media to handle our advertising requests. If you’re interested in advertising on MURDERISH, please send an email to Sahiba Krieger…

People in this episode

Host: Jami

Guest: Doug Benefield

Topics covered

• true crime
• marriage
• murder
• self defense
• impulsive decisions
• relationship dynamics

Keywords

• murder
• self defense
• marriage
• true crime
• Ashley Byers
• Doug Benefield
• relationship
• impulsive
• tragedy

Sponsors

Cloud10

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MURDERISH, YouTube, Apple Podcasts

More episodes of MURDERISH

• INTRODUCING: Bravo's Most Wanted with Jami Rice & Katie Ginella · June 1, 2026 · 1h 14m
• Summer House finale & The Valley w/ Jami | Say Yes to the Mess · May 23, 2026 · 28 min
• Arielle Konig: “What Happened on the Cliff?”丨MURDERISH Ep. 211 · May 18, 2026 · 48 min
• RHOBH, Anna Nicole Smith, & True Crime w/ Patrik & Pol | Say Yes to the Mess · May 16, 2026 · 1h 12m
• RHOBH Reunion, The Valley & Summer House w/ Jami | Say Yes to the Mess · May 11, 2026 · 37 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the MURDERISH podcast page.