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 Baltimore.[3]

Steven Wayne Benson
DOC Mugshot
Born	(1951-07-26)July 26, 1951 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	July 3, 2015(2015-07-03) (aged 63) Perry, Florida, U.S.
Criminal status	Deceased
Spouses	Nancy Ferguson ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 1979)​ Debra Franks Larsen Benson ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1993)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Margaret Benson (Deceased) Edward Benson (Deceased)
Conviction(s)	First degree murder Attempted first degree murder Arson of a dwelling Arson
Criminal penalty	Life imprisonment
Details
Victims	2
Date	July 9, 1985 Between 9:17 and 9:20 a.m.
Country	United States
State(s)	Florida
Location(s)	Quail Creek, Naples
Target(s)	Margaret Benson (mother)
Injured	Carol Lynn Benson Kendall
Weapons	Pipe bombs
Date apprehended	August 22, 1985
Imprisoned at	Taylor Correctional Institution

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.[4] Kendall survived but was badly burned; Margaret and Scott died instantly from the bomb blast. Represented by attorney Michael McDonnell, Steven Benson was ultimately convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and arson of a dwelling.[5] He avoided the death penalty, and was sentenced to two life terms in prison.[6][7] Over the course of his sentence, Benson was transferred to various prisons because of constant threats and abuse from other inmates.[8]

Benson died at Taylor Correctional Institution in Perry, Florida of a stab wound to the right side of the head with a homemade knife on July 3, 2015.[9][10] Benson was in a long running feud with Cordell Washington, another inmate at the facility. The feud went back to at least 2012 after a series of assaults by Washington. Inmates told investigators that Washington planned to extort $1,000 from Benson within days after arriving at Taylor Correctional Institution. When Benson refused to pay, Washington and another man, identified as Marvin Taylor, ambushed and shanked Benson.[11] Washington was charged with murder for killing Benson, but was acquitted.[12]