Steven Benson blew up his family in the driveway of their Florida home in July 1985. File photo. Scott had canisters of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to which he was addicted, delivered to the house on a monthly basis, defense witnesses said. Electronics. Steven Bensons trial is scheduled to begin in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 13. It was like . During a deposition taken by Bensons attorneys in Florida on Sept. 20, Mrs. Kendall, 40, said she was an unmarried teen-ager when she became pregnant, The Boston Herald reported today. He knew how to make tube bombs and fiddled with explosives. After his first marriage also failed, Benson married a farm worker from his familys tobacco empire. She, of course, was referring to Margaret. Even though he had a fancy car" -- the Lotus -- "he didn't like to drive. McDonnell did not call Steven Benson in his own defense. BOSTON (AP) _ Tobacco heiress Carol Lynn Benson Kendall, who survived a car bombing that killed her mother and adopted brother, has said under oath that the dead young man was actually her son, her attorney said today. On the morning of the explosion, the entire family agreed to inspect the land at Stevens suggestion. It is said that she has taken their three children and returned to her small Wisconsin home town. Benson was convicted of killing his mother and nephew and injuring his sister with a car-bomb on July 9, 1985. -- Scott Benson's natural mother and Margaret Benson's daughter -- got along better with her mother. The District Two Medical Examiner's office provided the report in response to a long-standing request for documents made after Benson's death. Joyce Quinn, Margaret Benson's quiet and polite young secretary who'd lasted but three months in the job before realizing there had to be saner employment, testified that Margaret "paid for everything for Scott" -- his cars (among them two Lotuses, a sports car that costs $45,000 to $50,000) his van, his Cigarette speedboat, his apartment and furniture, repairs, his tennis lessons, his clothes and his gas credit cards. https://insideeko.com/carol-lynn-benson-kendall-obituary-d/ insideeko.com Benson died earlier this month in a Florida prison, where he was serving two life sentences for the crimes. The Money. He was supposed to provide them the next day, the day the bomb went off.. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. She is shown here in a photo shoot at Lancaster Country Club in 1974, more than a decade before the incident. He was born in 1951 in Baltimore. Margaret Benson adopted her grandson as her son, to cover up the fact that her daughter, a former beauty queen, became pregnant with a water skier from Cypress Gardens, said Cirace, now 64. Steven Bensons late father didnt think he was capable of doing anything, Cirace said, an assessment that apparently was correct as Benson, who grew up and lived in Lancaster most of his life, left behind a series of failed business ventures. Thats the way Steve was.. People had suspicions as to why, after having two children of her own, all of a sudden Mrs. Benson adopts a third.. But by late 1984 and early 1985, they argue, she was coming to the conclusion that bankrolling Steven was something less than sound. If Steven Benson caused problems, then Scott caused traumas. Carol Lynn Benson Kendall, 2719 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 164, Hollywood, disbarred effective immediately, following a September 22 court order. He. LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - Heres what has stuck with them for 30 years, since the day that Steven Benson blew up his family in a Chevy Suburban in the driveway of their Florida home, in a greedy attempt to inherit a $10 million Lancaster tobacco company fortune: . The chief prosecutor, Jerry Brock, argued she had made conflicting statements in earlier depositions. His sister, Carol Lynn, was badly burned in the blast but survived. They had so much, and the family dynamic was about as whacked out as you could ask for.. Stating that he could not give money to one of the children and not the other, Judge Hayes then awarded $244,000 to Carol Lynn Kendall, who also had legal bills. As trial testimony brought out, Steven had started yet another company, Meridian Marketing, which was located about 30 miles away in Fort Myers, where Steven had just bought a new (and very large) house. Then the bombs went off. Murphy does not know whether the couple, who had three children, later divorced. A Florida jury found Benson guilty Aug. 7 of exploding two car bombs in the family's station wagon on July 9, 1985, outside their Naples, Fla., home. Carol Lynn Benson Kendall is 42 years old. The Trustees set up a trust for Kendall, a trust for Stephen, and a share for Scott. * The prosecution's key evidence, along with the testimony of Steven's sister, were palm prints on sales receipts for pipe identical to that used in the bombs, as well as end caps. Collier Judge Hugh Hayes presided over the trial. He had been driving it all that time, he said. She is shown here in a photo shoot at. He was stabbed in the neck in 1991 by a prisoner who was later sent to a mental hospital. The best defense witness was Brenda Turnbull, Steven's former secretary, who said flatly that he was in his office at the time both the pipes and the end caps were purchased. Then the witness surprised the judge by asking if he could make a "statement." Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Within this circle, there was lots of money. ", Carol Lynn told investigators, in a statement taken after she was released from the hospital where she had been treated for severe burns and had begun the long process of reconstructive surgery, that while her mother was scared of Scott, Margaret Benson felt that Steven was the only one who would actually harm her for her money: "She wouldn't put it past Steven to do away with her. It was her sister, Margaret, 63, and her nephew, Scott, 21, who had died in a horrific car explosion in Florida. BOSTON -- Tobacco heiress Carol Lynn Benson Kendall said Wednesday she has no intention of cutting her brother's children out of the family fortune despite his conviction of murdering her mother. The jury deliberated just 12 hours before finding Benson guilty. Mail Address: Law Offices of Carol Lynn B Kendall, Esq 2719 Hollywood Blvd Ste 164 Hollywood, FL 33020-4821. Though police initially called the blast, caused by two pipe bombs, a big mystery, it didnt take them long to zero on one suspect: Steven Benson. She was afraid her brother would come after her and her children if he ever got free. After her testimony, Carol Lynn Benson Kendall was nowhere to be seen. Despite claims by the defense that Scott was heavily involved in drug use and possibly even drug dealing (and that the bombing was therefore drug-related) there was little testimony that Scott was anything more than a regular user of nitrous oxide and an occasional user of marijuana and cocaine. Steven was paid $244,974.39 so he could pay his legal fees. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Carol Lynn Benson Kendall Disbarred . She suffered first-degree burns on her face and hands in the explosion and is still undergoing extensive reconstructive surgery. That she was once a beauty contest winner is easy to see. Once these equal trusts were created, the children of the settlor would receive a net income over their lifetime and an amount equal to 2% of the capital, which would be determined at the time of the establishment of the individual trusts on a quarterly basis. ", When they got back to Naples, Margaret told Steven she wanted to meet with him and Kerr that evening and "talk business." The Prosecution. Twelve and a half hours later, almost to the minute, Harry Hitchcock's granddaughter made an equally dramatic, if brief, appearance in the courtroom. Murphy said her father sent Sands as a gesture of goodwill. Your email address will not be published. I hope he does, she said. Amos Sands of West Donegal Township remembers the day 20 years ago today as well. [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.) But the topic was always the same: problems in prison. This orange thing was all around me. [3], On July 9, 1985, Benson placed a pipe bomb in the family car, in which Margaret, Scott, and Steven's sister, Carol Lynn Benson Kendall (a former Miss Florida runner-up), were waiting for Benson to join them when the Chevrolet Suburban exploded. Please enable JavaScript to properly view our site. Murphy declined to say where she now is living and says she does not see her regularly. To him, sadly, its not a shocker, the terrible things people do to each other, the terrible things they do for money. The first thing he said was, Well, Steve done it, you know that. He thought that right away, Sands, now 81, remembered today. To that end, he held court one day from 8:30 in the morning, his usual opening time, to 10 that night. Benson told his family members where to sit in the Suburban. He will be eligible for parole when he is 85. Represented by attorney Michael McDonnell, Steven Benson was ultimately convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and arson of a dwelling. She said, I want to know where all the money went. She wanted to see the books. Young had several reasons to suspect Benson. He cried so much, she says. Retired U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agent Frank Kendall -- no relation to Carol Lynn -- testified that the palm print Steven Benson voluntarily gave the police in the summer of 1985 and the palm print on the pipe invoice were "made by the same person." The family and everybody just treated his grandmother as Scotts mother, the attorney said. I dont know if it will ever go away or not., Information from: LNP, https://lancasteronline.com. Success! I just cant imagine. He said that "initially" he thought it was just sloppy bookkeeping. He was always doing things but never getting anything accomplished, Sands recalls. It was obvious he was spending his mothers money on himself and his family, Brock said. Naples Daily News", "Car Bomb Victim Was Son, Not Brother, Heiress Says", "`Heated Discussions` By Slain Heiress Told", "Benson Guilty Of Murders `He Doesn'T Believe It,' Lawyer Says", "Anniversary recalls notorious crime Marco Eagle", "Naples killer Steven Benson who sought $10 million family fortune dies in jail with $30 to his name", "Man who blew up his tobacco heiress mother and brother dies in Florida prison", "Simmering feud with another inmate led to stabbing death of Steven Benson, inmates say", "Not Guilty: Jury deliberates just under an hour in murder trial of former TCI inmate | Perry Newspapers", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steven_Benson_(murderer)&oldid=1131550360, This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 17:22. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and arson of a dwelling in 1986, and he spent the rest of his life in jail. Also Read:Mariannette Miller-Meeks : Role during Iowa elections. A lot. Carol Lynn Kendall testifies during the trial of her brother, Steven Benson, during his 1986 trial. You could see a hateful heart in Steven then. It came to an average monthly payment of more than $10,000, or a grand total of "around a quarter of a million dollars.". The murder of Margaret and Scott Benson in 1985 drew national crime coverage never seen before and rarely since to Naples. 10-Year Discipline History: . Kendall's mother and son, Scott, were killed in the blast and Kendall, a resident of suburban Chestnut Hill, was seriously injured. Minutes later the Suburban erupted into flames. Just follow the money, and you could see what he was doing.. Benson, he recalled, had a reputation as a wimp., He didnt fit in, Schelling said. The siblings did not return phone messages Friday. Hitchcocks daughter, Margaret, it turned out, was not really the mother of Scott Benson. The Wait. (Admitted to practice: 2002) Further, Kendall shall pay restitution of $1,075 to one client. I heard a lot of cursing and swearing.. Steven Benson is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 2, and prosecutors have asked for a life sentence. It wasnt discussed. Carol Kendall currently lives in Hollywood, FL; in the past Carol has also lived in Norfolk VA. Other names that Carol uses includes Carol Lyn Falkiner, Carol Lynn Benson, Carol Lynn Benson-kendall, Carol Lynn Falkiner and Carol Lynn Kendall. Steven Benson is led into the Collier County jail complex on the day of his arrest in 1985. Justice is justice," he said. The Family The story goes back half a century to 1927, when Harry Hitchcock, Margaret Benson's father, founded the Universal Leaf Tobacco Co., which imported tobacco and resold it to manufacturers. Just sort of odd, very different.. In the Know: Is that Benson guy still in prison? . . I dont think he believed he belonged in there.. . I knew it was no accident, said Young, now 75, of Naples. "I couldn't understand why he wasn't coming over to help me," she testified to a packed but dead silent courtroom. Mrs. Benson was 63 when she died in the blast. (One witness, Scott's psychiatrist, testified that the young man had a serious nitrous oxide habit, which had started when he'd go to the supermarket and sniff Reddi-Whip cans. He had retained Naples attorney Michael McDonnell. Albert Gleason, a federal explosives expert, testifies about the pipe-bomb Steven Benson used to kill his family members on July 9, 1985, in front of their Naples, Fla., home. He parked it and positioned his family in it. Then the jurors filed out and the door closed behind them once again. Bennett heard Kendall, who was disfigured in the bombing, testify that after the first blast blew her out of the car, she was still conscious, and she yelled to her brother to help her. Margaret Benson and her adopted son, Scott, were killed in the 1985 blast at their Naples home. PHOTOS: Looking back at the Benson murder trial, The Bensons: Lancaster family ripped apart by greed and murder 30 years ago, Danger and loneliness: Steven Benson's life in prison after he killed his family members, Notorious Lancaster County killer Steven Benson allegedly murdered in prison inmate's revenge scheme. Margaret and Scott died instantly, and Caroline was rushed to the hospital with severe burns. . Last Known Contact Information. Daddy. The three children were to divide the estate equally. [citation needed] The case was featured in Great Crimes and Trials and Infamous Murders. It was a journey, and every day we learned something new and awful., E. Richard Cirace, a Boston attorney who advised Kendall during the trial, said the case was compelling due to its colorful cast of characters.. Harold Young, the lead Collier County sheriff's detective who pegged Benson as his primary suspect the day of the killings, said he is more surprised by the length of the investigation than the way Benson died. By July 8, the day before the bombing, Margaret had learned of Steven's new house in Fort Myers, according to testimony. Before the day was over, according to newspaper accounts, Steven had asked for and received a loan of $20,000 from his grandfather. Benson crying on the first day of his trial. BOSTON -- Tobacco heiress Carol Lynn Benson Kendall said Wednesday she has no intention of cutting her brother's children out of the family fortune despite his conviction of murdering her mother and son. All but 30 remain open investigations. No mental problems, he was just evil., The case garnered national attention, and four authors later wrote books about it. They have never learned to live, really.. TV show Monday features Benson family murders, one of Naples' notorious crimes, Lighthouse Project - History: Murderers, moonshiners, swindlers lead rogues gallery of SW Florida crooks, Naples pipe bomb killer Steven Benson dies in prison. Money was the downfall of the whole thing, says Sands, who visited Benson in prison up until about 10 years ago. Tracking money - that was my forte, said Dwight Brock, who is now 61 and works as the Collier County Clerk of Courts in Florida. By the time the trial began, Steven Benson had been in jail for almost 11 months. Other testimony revealed another regular expenditure. I remember when my sister had him here was this baby and then he ends up killing her. I felt like I was being pressed back into the seat. . ", Should the court decide that the 3-year-old in question is indeed the daughter of the late Scott Benson, the child could inherit either (depending on what happens to the man who might be her Uncle Steven) one-third or one-half of Margaret Benson's $10 million estate, and establish her as a legitimate claimant to the estate of the 89-year-old Harry Hitchcock, who is said to be worth as much as $400 million. Hed always been sort of strange, she says. The judge did another unusual thing. In prison records, Benson listed the oldest of his three children, twins Victoria and Christopher, as his next of kin. The motive was money. Indeed, Margaret Benson did change her will, but in a terribly ironic touch, the only change was to cut out Wayne Kerr as executor. When I see that, I pity people like that. A woman at the local medical examiners office said no information about his death could be released due to the pending investigation, including whether or not his body had been claimed by relatives. Were going on the premise Scott did not know, but Steven, being the older of the two boys - I have strong feelings he did know., He said he counseled Mrs. Kendall to tell the truth about Scotts birth and answer any and all questions they ask, no matter how private or embarrassing.. It looks like we don't have any photos for Carol Lynn Benson Kendall yet. He was very congenial, very eager to talk, Sands recalls. Shortly before his death in 1990, Harry Hitchcock the owner of Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co. asked a longtime family employee, gardener Amos Sands, to visit his grandson in prison on his behalf. Blast but survived needed ] the case garnered national attention, and a for! West Donegal Township remembers the day 20 years ago today as well 1991 by a who... 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