Tampa rapper Billy Bennett Adams III, AKA Ace NH, was acquitted of a double murder. Three days later, he allegedly murdered Alana Sims, 22, who was five months pregnant. Sims also had an 18-month-old baby sleeping beside her when she was slain.
Adams admits to killing Trevon Albury and Daniel Thompson inside a recording studio in Lutz, Florida, on November 19, 2020. He says it was self-defense. Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister says it was a premeditated, gang-fueled, execution-style double murder. Adams allegedly self-identified as a member of the Crips on social media at the time.
On January 27, 2023, a Tampa jury acquitted Adams of double murder after he took the stand and claimed he was lured to the recording studio to be ambushed. He argued that he had no choice but to defend himself.
On January 30, 2023, an “acquittal party” was held for Adams. Sims told a friend she was headed to a party for a boyfriend named “Ace.” Then she was shot in the head in a subdivision. She died next to her SUV and sleeping 18-month-old child.
Police say surveillance video shows a vehicle registered to Adam’s father entering the area shortly before Sim’s vehicle entered. Then, about an hour later, the car registered to Adam’s father leaves the scene after Sims has been shot. Another person called the police when he spotted Sim’s body.
A search warrant discovered that Adams texted another woman on January 29, saying he was upset with Sims’s pregnancy and planned to break up with her. On February 1, he allegedly texted a man for help to manufacture an alibi.
Police say that after multiple story changes, Adams admitted to killing Sims but alleges it was self-defense. He says Sims pulled a gun on him, wrestled it away, and then shot her with it. He claims he threw Sim’s gun out of the car window but doesn’t remember where.
The paternity of the deceased unborn baby is unknown. He has been charged with murder and causing the death of an unborn baby. A judge ordered that he be denied bond. Besides being previously charged with premeditated double murder, his arrest record includes drug possession, battery, and false imprisonment.
Adams is a local Tampa area rap star whose YouTube videos have 300k-500k views.
