12 Days After Acquitted Of Double Homicide, Rapper Charged In Death Of Pregnant Mother

TAMPA, FL — Tampa police say a young mother found dead of upper body trauma next to her SUV in New Tampa on Jan. 30 with her toddler napping inside was pregnant when she was killed. On Wednesday, police arrested a man and charged him with first-degree murder and killing an unborn child by injury to the mother.

Detectives arrested Billy Bennett Adams III, 25, nine days after the woman in her 20s was discovered dead in on a neighborhood street in the 10700 block of Pictorial Park Drive. Her son was discovered napping in his car seat in the SUV near her body.

Adams, who was recently acquitted of a double murder in Hillsborough County, knew the mother, police said.

See related:

• Mother Found Dead Next To SUV In New Tampa, Toddler Still In Car Seat
• Lutz Double Homicide Connected To Crips Gang; Rapper Charged

"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," said interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. "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."

"What this defendant did is unimaginable," said State Attorney Susan S. Lopez. "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. We will continue to work with TPD to prosecute him for these latest crimes."

On Jan. 27, Adams, a New Tampa resident, was acquitted in the fatal shootings of Trevon Albury and Daniel Thompson at a recording studio in Lutz.

Adams, a rapper and hip-hop artist who recorded under the name Ace NH, was charged with shooting two men during a late-night recording session at Meeks Beatz Studios, located in a shed behind a home in the 15000 block of North 23rd Street in Lutz. He told the jury that he fired his gun at the men in fear for his life on Nov. 19, 2020.

While recording a song in the studio, Adams said he overheard the two men, who were visiting the studio, discuss robbing studio owner Joseph Meeks.

Adams said he saw Albury pull a gun and point it at the back of Meeks' head, who was working at the mixing board.

Adams, who had a concealed weapons permit, pulled his own gun and fired. Albury died of a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.

Adams said Thompson then tried to take his gun and shot Thompson twice in the face.

It took the jury just a few hours to acquit Adams of two counts of premeditated first-degree murder.