Forensic Breakthrough Solves 28-Year-Old Charlotte Homicide Case: Victim Identified as Betty Jean Benton

In a major development, The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has successfully identified the victim of a 1996 homicide. 

The identification was made possible through advanced forensic DNA analysis and investigative genetic genealogy.

The remains discovered nearly three decades ago, have been confirmed as those of Betty Jean Benton, a Chicago woman last heard from in 1991.  

Disturbing Discovery of the Remains

On July 18, 1996, construction workers clearing a wooded area near the Bank of America Stadium made a grim discovery. 

Approximately 200 yards west of the stadium site, near the intersection of South Graham Street and West Morehead Street, they uncovered human skeletal remains

The remains were partially hidden under brush and debris, according to a press release 

At the time of the discovery, the location was an undeveloped tract of land on the outskirts of Charlotte and it showed no immediate signs of being a crime scene.  

CMPD homicide detectives later collected the remains and transported them to the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office for further analysis. 

Forensic examinations determined the bones belonged to a white or mixed-race female, aged between 30-50 years at death. 

It also revealed clear evidence of violent injuries and the manner of death was ruled as a homicide.

However, the exact cause of death could not be determined due to the decomposed condition of the remains.  

Decades of Unanswered Questions

Despite exhaustive efforts throughout 1996 and 1997, investigators hit multiple dead ends. 

They checked dental records, searched missing person databases, and tried facial reconstructions, but all these traditional identification methods failed to identify the victim.

No clothing, personal effects, or identifiable features were found at the scene, so the case gradually became cold.  

The victim's profile was entered into national databases, including the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), but no matches emerged. 

Over the years, detectives periodically revisited the case, comparing it to missing person reports from across the Southeast, but the woman's identity remained elusive.  

Scientific Breakthrough

This cold case saw renewed attention in 2022 when CMPD's Cold Case Unit revisited the case using advanced forensic DNA testing. 

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation provided funding for this advanced testing, as reported by USA Today.

After the funding was secured, investigators submitted bone samples to Othram Labs, a Texas-based private laboratory specializing in degraded DNA analysis.  

Initial testing in 2022 was not successful because the remains were badly decomposed and no usable DNA could be obtained from them.

However, in early 2024, forensic experts identified better-preserved skeletal remains which were eventually tested.

Using state-of-the-art techniques, Othram scientists successfully extracted sufficient DNA to create a comprehensive genetic profile.  

This profile was then uploaded to two consumer genealogy databases - GEDmatch and Family Tree DNA.

These websites allow police to search their databases with appropriate legal permission.

Detectives then worked with DNA researchers from Ramapo College in New Jersey, who used the DNA matches to find the victim's relatives.

CMPD detectives later located and interviewed Benton's surviving family members.

They obtained a DNA sample from a close relative that provided a definitive match and identified the victim as  Betty Jean Benton

The identification was officially confirmed on May 15, 2024, nearly 28 years after the remains were discovered.  

Who Was The Victim and Where Does Her Case Stand Today?

Betty Jean Benton was born on February 27, 1954, in Louisiana. 

Benton had primarily lived in Chicago, Illinois, but told family members during a February 1991 phone call that she was relocating to North Carolina. 

When she suddenly stopped communicating with them that year, relatives filed a missing persons report in Louisiana in 1992.

While the victim has been identified, numerous questions remain unanswered. 

Investigators have found no records - employment, housing, medical, or otherwise - showing Benton's presence in North Carolina before her death. 

The approximately five-year gap between her last known contact in 1991 and the discovery of her remains in 1996 presents a significant challenge for criminal investigators.

CMPD urges anyone with information about Betty Jean Benton or this case to contact their Cold Case Unit at 704-432-TIPS. 

CMPD is particularly interested in:  

- Any individuals who may have known Benton during her time in North Carolina  

- Information about her living situation or employment between 1991-1996  

- Potential witnesses who might have information about her activities or associates  

- Any unsolved crimes or suspicious incidents from the early 1990s that might connect to her case  

Even seemingly insignificant details could prove crucial to solving this decades-old homicide.  

The identification brings partial closure to Benton's family while opening new avenues for investigators. 

As Detective Sarah Johnson of CMPD's Cold Case Unit stated, "Knowing who she is represents a critical first step. Now we must determine what happened to Betty Jean Benton and who was responsible."  

This remains an active investigation and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.