A FAMILY’S GRIEF
Family members tell of their year of heartache after brutal murder
A poster of murder victim Markia Benson on display at this week’s press conference held by Upper Darby police.
UPPER DARBY >> Two detectives and a captain have worked the past 12 months on an unsolved murder and continue in their quest to solve the crime.
Detectives William Sminkey and Thomas Thompson, under the direction of Capt. David Madonna, continuously follow up on any tip calls into the death of Markia Benson, 36, of Secane.
Benson’s battered and bruised body was found in the bathtub of her apartment at the New Orleans Park Apartment complex, on the 900 block of South Avenue, shortly before 5 p.m. March 30.
“This is still an open case,” Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. “Whenever we heard something we would follow up. We have interviewed most of the people she associated with and polygraphed several people, individuals we feel could be a person of interest and we continue to focus on DNA. We have done a lot of legwork to support statements of people of interest.”
According to Chitwood, due to the quantity of evidence inside the apartment, the unit was not returned to the family for several months after the incident.
“Obviously we’re not sharing what was written on the walls but this was definitely a crime of passion and hatred,” Chitwood said. “The homicide scene was indicative of somebody who was really, really angry. This was personal. There were (derogatory) messages written on the walls. It was a vicious fight. There was blood on the walls and feces on the floor. He beat her and killed her and dragged her into the bathroom. It looks like she fought for her life and lost. This was a brutal sadistic killing because of the messages, the body and the crime scene. It was tragic.”
According to Chitwood, District Attorney Jack Whelan assisted in expediting the processing of evidence enabling police to utilize a private agency to determine DNA findings quickly.
Investigators have tracked Benson’s whereabouts the days before her death through her phone, credit cards and surveillance video.
“We were able to determine her movements through receipts and video and have a good idea where she was,” Chitwood said. “Unfortunately it didn’t develop into any suspects. We’ve exhausted every investigative avenue.”
According to information obtained it was revealed Benson was last seen getting out of her car, a 2013 maroon Lincoln MKZ with New Jersey tags, approximately 8:30 p.m. March 29.
“Her mother, Paula Richardson, texted her daughter the morning of her death,” Chitwood said. “There had been some text communication between 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. and everything seemed OK. Markia was getting ready for work.”
Richardson’s last personal contact with Markia was the previous weekend, March 26 and 27.
She remembered exchanging texts with her daughter the day of Markia’s death.
By all accounts, Benson was an attractive, ambitious woman who never married and had no children and employed by SIG Combibloc, a Chester packaging company.
“She had a very good job,” Richardson said. “She traveled a lot for her job and went on trips a lot.”
Richardson, of Philadelphia, and the victim’s sister, Monique Benson, who traveled from Atlanta GA for the one-year anniversary, came to the police station March 30 with other family members to stand side-by-side with investigators who announced a $5,000 reward for information into the crime.
“Our whole family dynamic will never be the same,” Monique Benson said at the press conference. “This is never going to be over for us.”
“The family has been very, very supportive and we wanted to do something on the anniversary of her death,” Chitwood said. “Sminkey and Thompson are constantly working the case. It’s a dual partnership under the supervision of Dave.
Police are also hoping the reward will generate additional information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer.
Call Upper Darby police at 610-734-7693 with any information.