Found Deceased CA - Katie Wilkins, 25, dies of heroin OD, Los Angeles County, 28 April 2012

[katydid23]

Here it is:

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/...n_malibu_heroin_death_arrested_gun_campus.php

He was arrested for making death threats against HIS FAMILY. No good deed goes unpunished...

 

[Leomoon80]

Here it is:

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/...n_malibu_heroin_death_arrested_gun_campus.php

He was arrested for making death threats against HIS FAMILY. No good deed goes unpunished...

Wow, talk about Instant Karma.......(gonna get you) as the song goes by John Lennon , I never would have thought it so quicky From your link:

Sheriff's investigators told LA Weekly last month that 27-year-old Christopher Benton's family hired a fancy lawyer as soon as Wilkins was found dead. Although surveillance video shows he was hanging out with Wilkins on the night she died, the younger Benton has refused to talk. "I have my own opinions as to what he did, and none of them are very good," said Detective Tim O'Quinn. "But I can't go to a D.A. with them."

The 27-year-old's arrest today, however, appears to be unrelated to that case:

Benton junior, who has reportedly been living at his parents' famous on-campus home (the one with the "spectacular view") after a stint at rehab, was arrested around 11 a.m. this morning on suspicion of making "serious" threats against his family, says Pepperdine spokesman Jerry Derloshon.

The threats were credible enough that family members and law enforcement thought he might go through with them, Derloshon confirms.

Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore tells the Los Angeles Times that the threats were first reported yesterday. But when sheriff's deputies showed up on campus to investigate, the suspect was nowhere to be found.

When they finally nabbed President Benton's son today, reports the Times, they also got him on suspicion of "being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun" -- seeing as deputies "found a gun they believe Benton discarded on a nearby hillside and the ammunition in his car."

 

[i.b.nora]

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012...son-behind-bars-for-allegedly-making-threats/

CBS video, written article, and newest mugshot.

 

[i.b.nora]

Detective O'Quinn took Katie Wilkins parents to visit Chris Benton in jail.

"But until his arrest on Thursday investigators have been unable to question Benton about Wilkins’s death—despite the fact that surveillance footage showed him getting into her car at McDonald’s on Pacific Coast Highway the night before she died, that his fingerprints were found just a few feet from her body in her family’s garage, and that he apparently fled the scene in her car.

Tim O’Quinn, a detective with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s homicide bureau who investigated Wilkins’s death but is not involved in Benton’s current arrest, tells The Daily Beast exclusively that he visited Benton in jail on Friday morning—and brought Wilkins’s parents with him.

“Chris is arrested on another matter, but he’s in custody in a known location, so we went and talked to him,” says O’Quinn. “I did this in an effort to get some much-needed answers for the Wilkins family.”

O’Quinn says that Benton has been “schooled well by his attorney. He stayed off the subject of the drugs, and Katherine’s (Katie’s) car, which we believe he took when he fled the scene. He did apologize to the dad (Rob Wilkins), generally, for what happened that night and said his intent was never to hurt Katherine. But he didn’t say much.”"

- - new article by Jamie Reno in The Daily Beast

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...ne-president-s-son-chris-benton-arrested.html

 

[fran]

The father of the young man better think long and hard about what he's doing. According to a blog post or whatever in the above article, there are some who feel he should resign as President of Pepperdine. The poster has a point, imho, looking at what's happened at other colleges, the thought this guy was around the college with a loaded weapon and his threats to his own parents and his drug problem ?????

I hope this guy, the son, has some conscience, and tells Katie's parents what happened that fateful night. He knows, IMHO.

JMHO
fran

 

[katydid23]

The father of the young man better think long and hard about what he's doing. According to a blog post or whatever in the above article, there are some who feel he should resign as President of Pepperdine. The poster has a point, imho, looking at what's happened at other colleges, the thought this guy was around the college with a loaded weapon and his threats to his own parents and his drug problem ?????

I hope this guy, the son, has some conscience, and tells Katie's parents what happened that fateful night. He knows, IMHO.

JMHO
fran

I had defended the father earlier, saying it is not always fair to blame a parent for the actions of a 27 yr old 'child.' But now hearing that they let their drug addicted, unstable, rage fueled son, move into their on-campus home, I have a different attitude. That was extremely bad judgment on the parents part, imo.

 

[Swamp Fox Trot]

If he sings he's liable to end up in a duffel bag. What more is there to know anyway?

 

[Essense]

CB's arraignment was 8/27, but i'm not aware of the result yet.

I have a guard up for answers from him. The DailyB gave as much info as I currently have about the meeting with Chris, he took care to not touch on specifics with Katie.

 

[Essense]

http://malibu.patch.com/articles/pepperdine-president-son-will-not-be-returning-to-campus


Chris pleaded not guilty at his arraingment, did not post bail. Quite a few different online sites updating the ongoing story and the ties to my sister's case.

Still never a geniune honest response to seek truth of matter regarding Katie from benton's, which remains troubling as the appropriate time for that has come and gone and it indacates to me an quite selfish and hypocritical side of ABK which I believe indicates his primary motives here and elsewhere.

 

[Leomoon80]

I would think the father is very concerned for his own position now. That's how the letter sounds to me. He's doing the prudent thing for himself and his wife.
I don't "get" the extra "those he has chosen to associate with " line however, as there was no one with CB wielding a gun when the violent act occurred or at least not that I'm aware of. Just him and his OWN actions, by choice (presumably, his free will act) His drug dealer friend wasn't there with him threatening his family was he? I only heard of 1 arrest.

http://malibu.patch.com/articles/pepperdine-president-son-will-not-be-returning-to-campus

To Members of the Pepperdine Community:

For about 14 years Debby and I have dealt with issues emerging from the presence of drugs in the life of our son, Chris, and those with whom he has chosen to associate.

 

[mikeysmommom]

Well how the tide has turned.Glad to see the beginning of the end for the Benton family.IMO The school would be derelict in their duty to the students not to fire Mr.Benton and remove him and his family off the premises.With all the shootings going on at schools across the country how can they possible keep on a man who allowed not only a convicted felon but one who illegally had a gun and bullets on him to live on campus.Son or not Mr.Benton has an obligation to those that attend that school.A petition calling for him to be replaced might just be in order.Karma seems to have started for the Bentons and IMO it is well deserved.

 

[Essense]

Anne Soble has been persistent here, http://malibusurfsidenews.com/

Current edition pg 3 touches on previously unknown information regarding the arrest and timeline of events the Wendsday prior to CB's arrest.

Quick bit there too on the questioning my father and O'Quinn did with CB.

 

[i.b.nora]

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/...idents_son_2_years_prison_threatening_dad.php

Chris Benton, Pepperdine President's Son, Facing Two Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill His Dad
By Simone Wilson Fri., Sep. 7 2012 at 4:00 PM

"The troubled son of esteemed Pepperdine University President Andrew K. Benton will serve two years in prison, says the L.A. County District Attorney's Office, for threatening his father at the family's on-campus home and "possession of a firearm by a narcotic addict.""

And

"But his latest charges -- all felonies -- have nothing to do with the Wilkins case. Here they are, according to Deputy District Attorney Rena Durrant:

Criminal threats to his father.
Criminal threats to his mother.
Grand theft of a firearm.
Possession of a firearm by a narcotic addict.
Possession of ammunition by a narcotic addict.

Pepperdine spokesman Jerry Derloshen previously told L.A. Weekly that the threats were "serious," and credible enough that family members/law enforcement thought he might go through with them. Deputy D.A. Durrant adds today that to get charges as harsh as Benton's, "you basically need to threaten to commit a crime that would result in death or great bodily injury.""

And

"Durrant says 27-year-old Benton pleaded "no contest" to threatening his father and possessing a firearm, and has agreed to spend two years in state prison for his crimes. However, the remaining charges -- threatening his mother, stealing a firearm and possessing ammunition -- were all dropped as part of his plea deal."

Good article. Much more...

 

[Leomoon80]

All I can say, is his lawyer should realize before throwing accusations that Chris Benton still has his life, and Katie does not and never will again.

2 yrs. but don't dare ask him to come clean on Katie's death. Yeah right!

What would the lawyer have done, had he been in the Wilkins family shoes?

 

[i.b.nora]

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8820563

Los Angeles News
Pepperdine University president's son sentenced
Friday, September 21, 2012

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Christopher Andrew Benton, the son of Pepperdine University's president, was sentenced to two years in state prison for threatening his father.

Benton pleaded no contest in a plea deal on September 7 to making criminal threats and possession of a firearm by a narcotic addict. The plea deal allowed three other counts to be dismissed.

More..

And

http://malibusurfsidenews.com/stories/201209/201209270005.html

President's Son Receives Two-Year State Prison Term for Parent Threats and Gun Possession by Addict

BY ANNE SOBLE

Snip

"Jane Robison, press secretary for the LADA, said, "[Benton's] father was there but he declined to address the court."

It is unlikely Benton will serve the full sentence because of jail overcrowding, with most legal observers indicating that Benton will more likely serve from 15 to 18 months, including the time he has been incarcerated since his Aug. 23 arrest.

No specific information was available on possible substance abuse programs that might await Benton, described as a heroin and other illegal drugs abuser.

Benton has been represented in court by an alternate public defender provided because he cannot afford counsel, a county supposition based on his inability to post bail."

And

"Case observers posit that the plea deal may have been crafted to preclude Benton's parents from having to testify against their son in a public trial."


"

 

[i.b.nora]

No known connection to Chris Benton or Katie Wilkins other than they all lived in Malibu. Specifically Scott Ashley Sterling, 32 lived in an apartment building owned by his father, which is located almost directly across the Pacific Coast Highway from the McDonald's where Katie picked up Chris after he attended an AA or NA meeting at the SOBA (drug rehab facility) next door.

AP article:
http://www.wbay.com/story/20484956/son-of-la-clippers-owner-found-dead-in-malibu

Son of LA Clippers owner found dead in Malibu

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) - The son of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was found dead of an apparent drug overdose at his Malibu home, authorities said Wednesday.

The body of Scott Ashley Sterling, 32, was found shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 22600-block of Pacific Coast Highway, Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said.

*

"Sheriff's homicide and Los Angeles County coroner's personnel at this time believe that Sterling died of an apparent drug overdose," the statement said.

 

[imamaze]

http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_3c8e78da-8794-11e2-8559-0019bb2963f4.html
Detectives to seek manslaughter charge against Pepperdine president's son
A detective for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said the bureau will pursue a felony manslaughter charge against Chris Benton for his involvement in the death of Katie Wilkins, a 25-year-old Malibu resident who died last April of a heroin overdose.

 

[Essense]

A significant step forward.

Homicide Bureau Forwards Request to DA for Legal Action Against Son of Pepperdine University President.

http://malibusurfsidenews-blog.blogspot.com/2013/03/sheriffs-department-seeks-criminal_6.html#links

Of special note the lead detective Tim O'Quinn emphasized,
“the District Attorney’s Office is the final authority for determining if, in fact, Chris Benton can be held criminally responsible for Katie’s death. I simply present the facts. I assert that in light of the recent resurgence of heroin and related overdose deaths in our communities, the public and specifically those persons involved in these types of overdose incidents, need to know that they can be held criminally responsible for the death of another.”

There are of course many disturbing aspects of Chris's conduct that night and following days/weeks. The concern that Chris may not be brought to task has weighed heavily on those familiar with the case.

In making a deliberate decision to flee the home I think Chris error'd in his assessment that fleeing in an attempt to avoid involvement would be less onerous than seeking help and chancing unpleasant consequences associated with the choice to stay until emergency help arrived. I'm glad that the case will be brought in front of the DA, but significant challenges exist there as well.


This came out recently as well.
Pepperdine president opens up about son’s troubles-
http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_d7e231ec-862b-11e2-a5e6-001a4bcf887a.html

As far as i'm aware Andy is in complicit agreement with Chris's conduct in Katie's death.

 

[imamaze]

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013...pepperdine-president-in-drug-death-of-friend/
Criminal Charges Planned Against Pepperdine President’s Son In Drug Death Of Friend
The Sheriff’s department is planning to file criminal charges against the son of Pepperdine’s president in the drug overdose death of a friend.
Video included...

 

[Leomoon80]

Ref:

This came out recently as well.
Pepperdine president opens up about son’s troubles-
http://www.malibutimes.com/news/arti...a4bcf887a.html

As far as i'm aware Andy is in complicit agreement with Chris's conduct in Katie's death.

The threat

On Aug. 22, Chris made threats in an argument with his mother, Debby Benton, that were alarming enough for his father to take action. Andrew Benton refused to discuss the specifics of the threats, but he disclosed part of the conversation to The Chronicle.

“I will paraphrase: ‘I could hurt a lot of people. I could hurt a lot of people.’” Benton said. “… I’d never heard him say anything like that before. It was a gamechanging moment.”

Soon thereafter, Andrew Benton decided to notify sheriff’s deputies that his son was a danger.

What is interesting to me about human behavior, is there is not one mention, by the reporter nor by Mr. Benton (only about himself and his wife), not one mention of Katie or her death or the pain suffered by losing her for her family, and his son's trouble then, which precipitated the outburst and threat to the parents.

I know I can't judge and should not, another's behavior since I too had children and teens yet it does make me wonder if I'd feel any compunction at that time, to make things right with the damaged family, the victim of Chris B's negligence during Katie's demise.

But we see only a very carefully crafted interview, careful to avoid Katie as having lived or died in this time frame of last year, when Chris, the son was so carefully spirited away from view for so long i.e. "in hiding" thanks to the parental money & sway in the community and their lawyer's advice.

Something stinks about the lack of morality here or conscience.

Something comes across in the article that doesn't smell right to me including the statement about not hurting the Pepperdine Community nor his wife & himself.

What about Katie?...........To Mr. & Mrs B: She's dead and isn't coming back Mr. & Mrs. B & regents of Pepperdine.Your son is still alive. You two are still alive!

The whole saga reminds me of my wise mother's saying, "Until it happens to YOU", you never know what it's like.

I never forgot that either. It's SOOO true.