MY PARENTS, GLADYS AND ELMER BENSON, WERE STABBED TO DEATH IN THEIR SOUTH GATE HOME IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1996. THE MURDERER WAS QUICKLY APPREHENED AND HAS BEEN LIVING ON SAN QUENTIN’S DEATH ROW FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THE MURDERER HAD RECENTLY RECONCILED WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAD MOVED IN WITH THE WIFE’S BROTHER NEXT DOOR TO MY PARENTS. MAYBE THE RECONCILATION WAS NOT GOING SO WELL, BECAUSE HE SPENT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, AT A BAR NURSING A BUCKET OF BEERS AND BUYING DRINKS FOR A WOMAN WHO SPENT HER ENTIRE WORK SHIFT TALKING AND DANCING WITH HIM. WHEN HE DROVE HER HOME AT 2 A.M. SHE WOULD NOT LET HIM IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO HER TESTIMONY IN COURT, HE HAD NO MONEY. HE DEVISED A PLAN TO GET MONEY FROM THE ELDERLY COUPLE THAT LIVED NEXT DOOR TO HIS WIFE. FOR SOME REASON MY MOM OPENED THE DOOR TO HIM AT 3 A.M. OR SO IN THE MORNING. WHEN THEY EITHER REFUSED TO GIVE HIM MONEY OR TOLD HIM THEY HAD NO MONEY…. HE STABBED MY 74 YEAR OLD MOM 39 TIMES LEAVING HER DEAD ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR; THEN HE WALKED TO MY 79 YEAR OLD WHEELCHAIR BOUND DAD AND STABBED HIM 19 TIMES TO HIS DEATH. HE THEN STARTED LOOKIN FOR MONEY; TAKING MY MOM’S WALLET, COIN COLLECTION ITEMS AND OTHER MISCELANEOUS MONIES. HE WAS CHARGED AND FOUND QUILTY OF TWO COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER WITH SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF ROBBERY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH.
I BECAME ACTIVE IN VICTIM RIGHTS BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HELPED ME DURING THE MOST HORRIBLE TIME OF MY LIFE. AS MUCH AS I PRAY THAT NOT ANOTHER PERSON HAS TO ENDURE THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVED ONE TO HOMICIDE, I KNOW ANOTHER MURDER WILL OCCUR TODAY. I WANT TO HELP THEM AND I WANT TO BE A VOICE FOR MY PARENTS. IF WE CAN’T STOP THE KILLING, LET’S MAKE SURE THAT VICTIM’S GET ALL THE RIGHTS DUE THEM AND THAT THEY ARE TREATED FAIRLY BY THE SYSTEM.
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