Jury finds man guilty of murder, burglary and arson in Pineville in 2022

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – A jury found a man guilty of stabbing an 84-year-old Pineville woman to death in her home after breaking in and attempting to burn the house down upon leaving.

The jury found Shelton Brown guilty of the murder of Essie Benekin, as well as first-degree burglary, second-degree arson and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The jury deliberated for about two hours before reaching its decision.

A judge sentenced Shelton Brown to life in prison for murder. Brown was also sentenced to life in prison for other charges, including 25 years for burglary, five years for arson and five years for possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Benekin's daughter, Lutrica Gethers, testified during the trial and sat in the gallery all week surrounded by many other family members and friends, hoping for justice. When the verdict was announced, Gethers described a clear emotion.

“Relief. Relief. No more bail hearings. Justice has finally been served, even though I'll never get my mother back. I just have faith in our justice system and I'm just happy with the outcome. I'm not happy for the community, because the community still needs to heal, we're close. But I'm glad we stood up for my mother, Essie Victoria Benekin,” Gethers said.

Benekin's family remembers her as a lively and friendly woman. Her son-in-law Wilbur Gethers called her the “Sadie of Pineville,” referring to a record by the Spinners.

“It is truly a beautiful day for Berkeley County that justice has been done. Without justice there can be no peace. Now the community has peace because justice has been done,” Wilbur Gethers said.

The jury heard a week of arguments packed with evidence. The state built its case on the fact that Brown had lived in the same neighborhood as Benekin for a time and knew who she was and where her home was. The prosecution insisted on its theory that Brown harbored sexual desires and went to her home to harm her, but Benekin fought back and Brown left a trail of evidence.

“Their home was torn apart that night of August 8th. And now it is time for justice,” said prosecutor Anne Williams in her closing argument.

The judge drew the audience's attention to the graphic testimony of a forensic pathologist, who concluded that Benekin's death was violent. The pathologist described in detail how the perpetrator had stabbed and cut Benekin more than 130 times. The fatal wound reached ten centimeters through her jaw and carotid artery.

The state bolstered its case by presenting Brown's internet searches from earlier in the night. Many of these are sexual in nature and relate to violent relationships with older black women. The searches were conducted just hours before the crime against Benekin. The state argued that the searches proved a motive.

The state's witnesses also included DNA experts. They testified that Brown's DNA matched many places in the house. Investigators found drops of Brown's blood near the front and back doors and throughout the house. They found Brown's DNA on the handle of the knife at the crime scene. They also found a glove with Brown's DNA outside the house in the direction of the five-minute walk to Brown's house.

“He just leaves breadcrumbs everywhere,” Williams said.

Prosecutors emphasized in their closing argument that investigators found a shirt soaked in Benekin's blood under Brown's house. Investigators later concluded from Ring doorbell footage showing Brown wearing the striped shirt earlier in the day that it was the shirt Brown had worn on the day of the murder.

“The evidence literally leads right back to his front door,” Williams said.

The defense argued that there were gaps in the story.

“There is a lot of evidence that something happened in Ms. Essie's house, but not that Shelton Brown did it,” defense attorney Melissa Gay said in her closing argument.

The state presented phone records showing that Brown's device was in the neighborhood at the time of the crime, but Benekins and Brown's homes are so close that it could have been in either home. The defense called a witness. An officer testified that he requested a Google Geo map of all activity on Brown's phone in the area of ​​Benekins' home during the crime. The search turned up no records.

“Her home had been burgled before. That's a very important fact,” Gay said.

Benekin's home was equipped with an alarm system that went off the night of her murder. The defense argued that Benekin had forgotten to turn on the alarm system a few days earlier and was the victim of a purse snatching in her home. The state noted that investigators also found a woman's purse under Brown's home containing the shirt with Benekin's blood, but did not prove that the purse belonged to Benekin.

“It's a silly claim, but if the glove doesn't fit, you have to acquit. But is there enough evidence to tie the glove back up?” Gay asked in his closing argument.

Gay argued that only Brown's DNA was found on the glove and that this did not prove that he was connected to the crime. The defense claimed that if Benekin had fought back, her DNA would be on the glove and Brown would have abrasions. During questioning, investigators found no injuries on Brown.

Despite the defense's attempts, the jury was adamant that Brown committed the crimes. Benekin's sister, Daisy Green, says she will always miss the cruises and the trips from Columbia to visit her sister and is grateful for some sense of peace.

“Today I feel a little relieved that justice has been done. Even though I can't get my sister back, we can move on and thank God that justice has been done,” Green said.

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