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Billy Adams denied bond and gag order in murder case
Billy Adams is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Alana Sims, just three days after a jury acquitted him on separate double-murder charges. he was denied bond Monday, which would have been Sims' 23rd birthday. His lawyer was also denied a gag order in the case.
TAMPA, Fla. - Alana Sims would’ve turned 23 years old Monday. Sims, who was pregnant, was killed just shy of that birthday two weeks ago. Her body was found next to her SUV. Inside the vehicle, her 18-month-old son was fast asleep.
Tampa police said her boyfriend, Billy Adams, is the man who shot her to death. His attorneys asked Tampa Judge Margaret Taylor for their client to be released on bond.
Adams is accused of killing Sims just three days after a jury acquitted him on separate double murder charges.
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The judge immediately denied Adams' request for bond, however, Adams' attorney Jamie Kane asked the judge to put a gag order to prevent the press from receiving details about the case
Billy Adams after being denied bond by Tampa judge
Kane told the judge that a FOX 13 News article published on February 9 included some publicly available information about the case, saying, "Some of which is highly speculative, some of which is highly inaccurate."
Kane went on to say that media reports gave different ages of the child inside the vehicle found next to Alana's body, and police speculating on a motive for the crime.
Defense attorney Jamie Kane
The state argued that a gag order would violate Florida Statute 119 regarding freedom of the press. It would also violate Marsy's Law, which gives victims' families the right to certain information about a case.
Judge Taylor denied the request, but did so "without prejudice" allowing for another judge to potentially grant a gag order at a later date.
Tampa Judge Margaret Taylor
Meanwhile, Sims’ family celebrated her life Sunday. They wore pink, her favorite color, and remembered the woman they described as joyful.
Pictured: Alana Sims
Police said Adams lured Sims to a New Tampa neighborhood for a party on Jan. 30. He then, police said, fatally shot her while her toddler slept in her car just feet away.
Records show Adams claimed self-defense when investigators cornered him with an overwhelming amount of evidence against him. It’s the same defense he used in that double-murder case.
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According to investigators, Adams told them that Sims pulled a gun on him. He wrestled it away and shot her. He previously said he was home all night.
Police said they believe the motive was that Adams didn’t want to be in Sims’ life anymore and wasn’t ready to be a father. Court documents show a possible love triangle between Adams, Sims, and another woman. A day before the murder, Adams texted the other woman who seemed upset by Sims’ pregnancy, the documents say.
Billy Adams (Tampa PD photo)
Adams told her he wanted to have a life and that Sims wouldn’t be a part of it, and that "tomorrow this s**t done," the court documents state.
"This ain’t the way baby," the documents say the woman replied.
The bond hearing is at 2 p.m. Monday.