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New evidence revealed in Billy Adams murder case
Gloria Gomez reports
TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa man who was just acquitted of a double-murder after claiming self-defense to a jury has been arrested for killing someone else, and prosecutors say he tried to claim self-defense again.
New court records say that three days after he heard "not guilty" in a Tampa courtroom, Billy Adams decided one of the two women he was dating – 22-year-old Alana Sims who was 5-months pregnant – was getting in the way of his freedom, so he killed her.
According to a filing by Hillsborough County state attorney Suzy Lopez, Adams shot and killed Sims on January 30 as she stood outside an SUV where her 18-month-old son was sleeping inside. Investigators said he lured Sims to the New Tampa neighborhood of Easton Park, telling her they were headed to a party to celebrate his acquittal on the two previous murder charges.
Evidence quickly mounts against Adams
Prosecutors said surveillance video from the neighborhood shows a black Chevy Malibu with tags registered to Adams' father enter the Easton Park subdivision at 7:22 p.m. At 7:36 p.m., the vehicle driven by Alana Sims drives a similar route.
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Court records say at 8:21 p.m., the Malibu is seen leaving the neighborhood, but the SUV driven by Sims doesn't come back through.
Billy Adams (Tampa PD photo)
At 8:32 p.m., a witness was seen walking with his son in the same area. That witness, according to investigators, later found Sims laying on the ground, but thought it was an intoxicated person.
Meanwhile, Sims was supposed to pick up a friend from work at 9 p.m., but never showed up.
Just after 10 p.m., another passerby saw Sims laying in a pool of blood and called 911.
Two days later, Tampa police detectives showed up at Adams' home to ask how he knew Alana.
Billy Adams, III's version of events
Adams first told police he was at home the night Sims was killed. After they confronted him with evidence that he was driving the Chevy Malibu that night, Adams changed his story.
Pictured: Alana Sims, 22.
Court records show Adams told investigators he was out with friends and gave them a video recorded that night as proof.
Investigators were able to search Adams' vehicle and phone. That's how they learned the information on the video was altered and had actually been recorded on Feb. 1.
They also found two rounds of live ammunition in the Chevy Malibu.
Another woman
The cell phone also showed text messages between Adams and a woman named Lakenya Brantley.
A day before the murder, Adams exchanged text messages with Brantley, who investigators said was troubled by Sims’ pregnancy. Adams reassured her that he wanted to have a life and that "she" – referring to Sims – would not be included.
He texted: "tomorrow this s**t done"
Brantley responded: "this ain't the way baby"
Adams changes his story
Once investigators cornered Adams with the evidence, he changed his story again. This time he claimed self-defense.
Adams said Sims pulled a gun on him, but he said he wrestled it away and shot her.
Adams told investigators he threw the gun away on his way home after the shooting, court records said.
Two previous shooting deaths
Adams’ claims of self-defense are nothing new. Less than three days before Sims’ murder, a jury found Adams not guilty of killing two men in a recording studio in November 2020.
MORE: Tampa rapper, accused of killing 2 in studio, complains about death threats
From the witness stand, he told the jury he shot the men because he feared for his life. The jury believed him and he walked out a free man.
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Jury reaches verdict in Tampa rapper trial
The fate of a Tampa rapper charged with two first-degree murders and burglary was only in the hands of a jury for a few hours Friday before they came to a decision.
Now, investigators believe he wanted freedom from fatherhood, so he ended two more lives.
Adams went before a Tampa judge Thursday morning on charges of first-degree murder and killing of an unborn child by injury to the mother.
His defense attorney asked for a bond hearing, which the judge set for Monday, January 13. Until then, the judge said, Adams will remain in jail.