Gun dealer charged in wife’s death sued
WEST PALM BEACH — A year after a Riviera Beach firearms dealer was accused of shooting his wife dead, her grieving parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him while he sits in the Palm Beach County jail awaiting trial on a murder charge.
Dwight Luton, 33, acted with “gross negligence” when he shot his 31-year-old wife, Ashley Balius, in March 2017 outside their house on Canterbury Drive North, attorney Scott Smith wrote in the lawsuit he filed last week on behalf of Gordon and Donna Balius. Smith is also suing Strictly Tactical Firearms, a business Luton ran from the couple’s home.
Smith said he doesn’t know if Luton has any money but suspects that he does. “It is my understanding that Mr. Luton and his family are a family of substantial means and Mr. Luton has access to financial resources,” he said.
He declined to say how much money he will seek. Court records show a Luton trust and other family members were co-owners of the home Luton and Balius shared.
Scott Skier, one of several attorneys representing Luton on the criminal charge, declined comment on the civil lawsuit.
Luton initially told police his wife accidentally shot herself in the head when she pulled a gun out of her purse. Video taken from home security cameras shows Luton jumping out of a blue 2004 Chevy SUV and grabbing a backpack shortly before his wife slumps over in the driver’s seat, police said. Before attending to Balius, Luton wipes down the SUV’s dashboard and himself, police said, describing the video.
Luton was initially charged with evidence tampering, but that charge was dropped. He also faces an unrelated charge of driving under the influence stemming from a crash before Balius’ death.