Murder of Stephanie Spears
His girlfriend eventually decided to end their relationship. On the night of June 20, 2004, Benitez tried to leave with their son while Spears was asleep. After she woke up and tried to stop him, an argument ensued. Benitez allegedly beat her numerous times with a dumbbell, killing her in front of their three-year-old child before fleeing their Hawthorne, California home with him.
Benitez and his son Benjamin were believed to be traveling with his mother, Alina Elizabeth Velasco, who disappeared after Spears' murder. They were sighted in the Medford, Oregon area in December 2004.
On May 11, 2005, a state warrant was issued by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, for Benitez's arrest after he was charged with murder. Benitez was charged federally with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and an arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court, Central District of California, on March 21, 2006.
The FBI was offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Benitez. He was featured on America's Most Wanted several times.
Read more about this topic: Manuel Benitez
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