A Florida rapper has been arrested for the brutal killing of a pregnant woman just three days after he was acquitted in court on double murder charges.
25-year-old “Ace NH,” real name Billy Bennett Adams III, went to trial last month on charges that he killed two men in a recording studio.
He told jurors it was self-defense.
They believed him and found him not guilty of first-degree murder on January 27.
Tampa police arrested Adams on Wednesday, February 8.
They charged him with first-degree murder and the killing of an unborn child by injury to the mother.
He is accused of killing 22-year-old Alana Sims, who was five months pregnant.
Authorities say Adams killed Alana Sims on January 30, just three days after he beat a double murder charge.
Tampa’s Interim Chief Lee Bercaw said: “Mere days after he was acquitted of a separate crime, our homicide suspect did the unthinkable when he killed an innocent woman and her unborn child.
“I hope this arrest brings some closure to the victim’s family who is mourning the loss of two loved ones.
“We are working with the State Attorney’s Office to ensure the suspect is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
‘It seemed she was lured there’
A 22 Y/O mom killed while she was 5 months pregnant by the man she said was the father of her unborn child. That man #Tampa rapper Billy Adams or “Ace NH”. He was acquitted of double murder three days prior to this mom being found dead @10TampaBay pic.twitter.com/KOjbKRjXX8
— Angelina Salcedo (@AngelinaWTSP) February 9, 2023
State Attorney Susan S. Lopez said:
“What this defendant did is unimaginable.
“Our thoughts and support are with the family members of these crime victims.
“Since the night of the murders, we have worked closely with TPD to arrest this killer.
“While we respect the verdict of the jury in the prior case, we disagreed with it and that is why we prosecuted him.”
He is claiming self-defense in this case too.
According to The Tampa Bay Times:
A search warrant for Adams’ cellphone turned up text messages he’d exchanged with another woman on Jan. 29.
The messages indicated that he was upset over Sims’ pregnancy, that he wanted to live his life and that Sims wouldn’t be included, according to the court paper.
An arrest affidavit details more of their discussion.
“I’m just so sad because I thought we was gonna have a real relationship at this point,” the other woman wrote. “And now she’s pregnant and still here.”
Adams replied with the word “no” several times.
“You not talkin me out of it,” he wrote. “Tomorrow dis s— done.”
He continued: “I meant wat I said. We finna have OUR life. … And it don’t include ha ass.”
“I want da life I’m posed to have mane,” he wrote later.
“This ain’t the way, baby,” the woman replied. She told him she didn’t want him to do anything reckless.
Other messages detailed in the affidavit appeared to show Adams communicating with a friend Feb. 1, telling him that police would be talking to him.
“Remember,” he wrote. “7-8:20. … Tell em I pulled up on you.”
