Steven Benson (murderer)

Steven Wayne Benson^[1] (July 26, 1951 – July 3, 2015) was an American convicted double murderer of his mother, tobacco heiress Margaret Benson; and his brother (actually his nephew but later adopted), tennis player Scott Benson.^[2] (Margaret Hitchcock Benson was heiress of the Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co., Lancaster, Pa., and had no connection with Benson & Hedges brand cigarettes manufactured in the US by Philip Morris.) He was born in 1951 in Florida.^[3]

On July 9, 1985 Benson placed a car bomb on the family car, in which Margaret, Scott, and Steven's sister, Carol Lynn Benson Kendall (a former Miss Florida runner-up), were waiting for Steven to join them in the vehicle when the Suburban exploded.^[4] Kendall survived but was badly burned; Margaret and Scott died instantly from the bomb impact. Represented by attorney Michael McDonnell, Steven Benson was ultimately convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, arson of a dwelling.^[5] He avoided the death penalty, and was sentenced to life in prison.^[6][7] Benson was transferred to different prisons during his time, because of constant threats and abuse from other prisoners. Because of the murder, Benson was attacked by other prisoners while serving his sentence in prison.^[8]

He died in prison on July 3, 2015.^[9][10]

In media

Dominick Dunne's investigative crime show Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice devoted an hour for the case of Steven Benson.^[11] Benson is also featured in an episode of the New Detectives entitled "Short Fuse" (Season 2, Episode 3). In addition, the Benson Family murder case was the subject of The Serpent's Tooth (Harper & Row, 1987), a book by No.1 New York Times best-selling author Christopher Andersen.

References