Eva Benefield, daughter of the late Doug Benefield, has had an intense life. After the murder of her father by his second wife, Ashley Byers Benefield, Eva’s story captured widespread attention. It was notably featured on Dateline and in other media outlets.
Despite facing hardships, Eva has forged a new life for herself. Eva Benefield is currently living in Charleston, South Carolina. After the tragic events surrounding her father's murder, she has been focusing on her art and sharing her journey on social media platforms like TikTok.
Eva Benefield has also been actively involved in the legal proceedings against her stepmother, Ashley Benefield, and has expressed relief and a sense of justice after Ashley's conviction. She was featured on Dateline in a special episode titled "Deadly Dance" on November 15, 2024.
The episode delved into the tragic events surrounding her father's murder and the subsequent trial of her stepmother, Ashley Benefield.
Loss of both parents in a tragic way
Eva Benefield was always very close to her dad, Doug, and her whole life revolved around him. Eva is the daughter of Doug and Renee Benefield, whose childhood was always filled with joy until the tragic loss of her mother in 2015.
One day when Eva returned home from school, she found that her mom had passed away due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Eva and Doug kept in contact; he would send her daily Bible verses for encouragement ever since she moved away to another city after her mother's death.
In 2016, Doug married Ashley Byers just weeks after meeting her. Eva struggled to accept her new stepmother, creating tension in the family dynamic.
The situation worsened on September 27, 2020, when it was reported that Doug was fatally shot by Ashley inside their home in Florida. Ashley pleaded self-defense, however, Eva testified against her during her trial. Ashley was found guilty of murdering Doug in July 2024, giving some form of closure to Eva as she pushed hard to get justice for her father.
Eva Benefield's road to recovery: Art and Entrepreneurship
After her father passed away, Eva focused on her creative endeavors. Initially, Eva was a part-time worker in a small coffee shop and sold her artwork to sustain herself. One of the TikTok videos she created about "evil stepmothers" became viral, and millions watched it. She then created her art and merch brand Ghost Cowborn.
Besides Ghost Cowborn, Eva has also created a podcast called Eva Unfiltered. Though it has only dropped its intro episode so far, the podcast will give her listeners unique access to her life and experiences firsthand.
Personal life and current pursuits
Eva Benefield's personal life shows her love for nature, animals, and traveling. A surfer and animal lover, she mostly stays by the beach with her dog.
Cowborn Ghost is born out of Benefield's artistic talent and entrepreneurial vision. The brand distributes T-shirts and hoodies plastered with her original artwork. Despite her tragic background, Eva has remained optimistic.
Eva Benefield's father's murder case was featured on Dateline's special episode on November 15, 2024.
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