Stephanie Bennett Was Raped & Murdered 3 Years Ago
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will call in a tip on this case.
Raleigh Police Seek Clues About Woman's Murder Three Years Ago
Suspect Still At Large For The Rape, Murder Of Stephanie Bennett
POSTED: 5:22 pm EDT May 21, 2005
UPDATED: 11:28 am EDT May 22, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Three years ago Stephanie Bennett had just graduated from
college when she was raped and murdered in her apartment on Lake Lynn Drive
in Raleigh. She was 23 years old.
On Saturday, the Raleigh Police Department held a news conference, on the
anniversary of the day police found her body, to remind the community that
the person who raped and killed her is still at large.
"Stephanie Bennett was a twenty-three-year-old individual who had a long
life ahead of her and this life was cut short by an individual," Lt. John
Lynch of the Raleigh Police Department said. "And we need to do everything
we can to identify that individual."
An unknown male entered Bennett's apartment through a window during the
night of Monday, May 20, 2002, and raped and killed her, police said. The
suspect then fled, possibly taking with him a JVC MXC220 compact stereo,
which had dual cassette decks and a three-disc CD changer.
"It's very frustrating knowing that he's still out there knowing he could
attack your mother, your daughter, your best friend -- anybody, anytime,"
said Molly Hodges, the mother of Stephanie Bennett.
Police are focusing on one person in particular who was seen in the area
near Bennett's apartment in the days and weeks before the crime, Lynch said.
Police described this individual as a white male who is in his late 20s or
early 30s and about 5-feet-10 to 6-feet tall. This male has light brown or
blond hair. He was often seen wearing sunglasses and a dark hooded
sweatshirt, even on warm days, around Bennett's apartment complex near the
time of Bennett's death. A medium- to-large-sized dog often accompanied him,
police said.
"You kind of just keep waiting for her to call, and you realize that's not
gonna happen," said Carmen Bennett, Stephanie Bennett's father.
But, her parents said, perhaps someone will call the Raleigh Police
Department who can help catch the killer.
Anyone with information in this case is asked to call a special tip line
that will be staffed from 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21 through 7 p.m. Monday, May
23. After 7 p.m. Monday, the tip line will be answered by voice mail, and
callers are asked to leave messages. A $100,000 reward is being offered in
this case.
The special tip line number is (919) 890-3951.
"There's somebody out there that knows something," Lynch said. "There's
somebody that has some information. They probably don't realize it or are
reluctant to share it."
http://www.wral.com/news/4515868/detail.html
Previous Stories:
a.. May 19, 2005: Stephanie Bennett's Parents Vow Not To Rest Until
Murderer Brought To Justice
b.. June 21, 2004: Stephanie Bennett Lawsuit Heads To Federal Court
c.. May 24, 2004: Lawsuit Filed By Stephanie Bennett's Family Questions
Safety At Apt Complex
d.. May 21, 2004: Stephanie Bennett's Family Files Lawsuit
e.. May 21, 2004: Police Create Videotape In Hope Of New Leads In
Stephanie Bennett Case
f.. April 30, 2004: Pain Endures For Stephanie Bennett's Parents
g.. August 26, 2003: Family Offers $100,000 For Info Leading To Arrest In
Stephanie Bennett Case
h.. July 29, 2003: Police Hope New Details Provide Break In Stephanie
Bennett Murder Case
i.. June 9, 2003: Police Release Part Of Behavioral Profile In Stephanie
Bennett Case
j.. May 29, 2003:Raleigh Police Hope La. Case Provides Insight Into
Stephanie Bennett Case
k.. May 21, 2003: One Year Later, Family, Police Seek Closure In Stephanie
Bennett Case
l.. April 13, 2003: Family, Friends Gather At Roanoke College To Remember
Stephanie Bennett
m.. November 21, 2002: Search For Bennett's Killer Yields Few Clues
n.. August 10, 2002: Boyfriend Of Murdered Raleigh Woman Says He Wants
Justice
o.. August 1, 2002: Bennett Family Talks About Lost Loved One
p.. July 25, 2002: Police Offer Look Inside Raleigh Murder Victim's
Apartment
q.. July 24, 2002: Police, Neighbors Want Answers In Stephanie Bennett
Murder
r.. July 10, 2002: Police: No Link Between Florida Man, Murder Of Raleigh
Woman
s.. July 3, 2002: Raleigh Police Look To SC, Va. Murders For Lead In
Bennett Case
t.. July 1, 2002: Vigil Held For North Raleigh Murder Victim
u.. June 24, 2002: North Raleigh Residents, Police Discuss Safety Tips At
Meeting
v.. June 21, 2002: Profiler Helps Raleigh PD With Unsolved Murder
w.. June 20, 2002: Investigators Release More Information About Raleigh
Murder
x.. June 17, 2002: Raleigh Apartment Complex Schedules Memorial For Murder
Victim
y.. June 7, 2002: Police: Campen Not Suspect In Raleigh Woman's Murder
z.. May 27, 2002: Police Release Sketch Of Man Wanted For Questioning In
Raleigh Murder
aa.. May 24, 2002: Police Looking For Male Suspect In Raleigh Woman's
Death
tiny dancer
By Eyewitness News
(05/20/05 - RALEIGH) - Raleigh police say they may be a step closer to
solving a brutal rape and murder.
Saturday marked the third anniversary of Stephanie Bennett's death. Someone
raped and murdered the 23-year-old woman in her Lake Lynn Drive apartment.
Raleigh police called a press conference Saturday, where they released a
description of a man labeled as a "person of interest" in the case. He was
seen near the Bridgeport Apartments around the time of the murder.
He's described as a 5-foot-10-inch white male in his 20s or 30s. The man has
light brown or blond hair. He was seen walking a medium-dark-colored dog.
Investigators hope the new information can generate some fresh leads in the
case.
"Obviously, what we've done in the last three years has not got us the
killer," said Raleigh Police Lt. John Lynch. "So, we have to reevaluate
what's already out there. If our profile has been too narrow, somebody who
knows something may have decided they didn't need to call because they
didn't think that information was significant."
Raleigh police are staffing a hotline through the weekend to gather tips in
the case. If you have any information, call 890-3951.
Bennett's family is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an
arrest. The family has established a Web site with information about the
murder.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/052105_NW_bennettmurder.html