William Ryan Andrews
White male
Age at time: 37
Weapon: unarmed
Victim photo: Undated family photo
Lynda McAdams
White female
Age at time: 46
Weapon: unarmed
Victim photo: Pasco County Sheriff's Office, undated
Michael McAdams
White male
Age at time: 47
Weapon: gun
Defendant photo: Pasco County Sheriff's Office, 2009
Case type:
Domestic dispute
Location:
Victim's Home
Initiator:
Defendant
Witnesses:
No
Case year:
2009
Location details: The couple's former home; the wife was staying there, the husband was not; in Dade City, Pasco County, on Oct. 18, 2009
What happened: Michael McAdams fatally shot his estranged wife and her lover after he found them together at the former family home. McAdams claimed William Ryan Andrews insulted him and challenged him to a fight. McAdams refused and said he left the house only to see the new couple having sex through a window. Enraged, he grabbed a gun that he said he stored under a milk jug by the front door and shot his wife in the face and her boyfriend in the head. He buried the bodies in the woods in Hernando County. McAdams claimed self defense, saying Andrews wanted to fight and his wife was hitting him when he fired. Forensic evidence ran counter to the details McAdams provided, however, and a jury found him guilty.
The outcome: Circuit Judge Susan Gardner denied McAdams "stand your ground" claim, calling it a "creative application" of the law. McAdams was convicted of first-degree murder.
Investigating agency: Hernando County Sheriff
Investigating agency: Pasco County Sheriff
Case decision made by: Jury
Trayvon Martin’s death became controversial because circumstances leading up to the shooting cast doubt on who was to blame. The Tampa Bay Times reviewed other “stand your ground” cases for similar circumstances. The Times relied on available information, some of which may not tell the whole story. When the situation was unclear, that was noted.
| Yes | No | Unclear/ disputed |
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|---|---|---|---|
Did the victim initiate the confrontation? |
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Was the victim armed? |
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Was the victim committing a crime that led to the confrontation? |
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Did the defendant pursue the victim? |
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Could the defendant have retreated to avoid the conflict? |
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Was the defendant on his or her property? |
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Did someone witness the attack? |
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Was there physical evidence? |
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Source: Tampa Bay Times, May 18, 2011.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, June 18, 2011. Link to original source
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Case last updated: July 3, 2012
