GUILTY KS - Cami Umbarger, 29, & 3 kids slain in their Parsons home, 23 Nov 2013

[Blondie in Spokane]

"Tara Umbarger said her cousin Cami had met Bennett around the end of September and went out with him a couple of times."

"She said he began calling her 30 or 40 times at a time, at times making threats.
'He was basically stalking her and wouldn't leave her alone,' Tara Umbarger said."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hildren-killed-family-home.html#ixzz2luc415s2

 

[wfgodot]

Very affecting video.

Dad wants murdered Parsons kids and mom remembered. (kwch.com)

The obit in our local paper.

Cami Jo Umbarger and children

Community gathers for candlelight vigil

The tragedy has been incomprehensible, and many remain in shock, still trying to register the senseless taking of four young lives.

Bennett held on high bond

Patrol officer arrested Bennett on street. (Parsons Sun)

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.kansas.com/2013/12/03/3156659/david-bennett-charged-with-capital.html

State prosecutors... filed charges of capital murder, rape, and criminal threat against a 22-year-old Cherryvale man suspected of killing a Parsons mother and her three children...

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said David Cornell Bennett Jr. faces the capital murder count and offered an alternative charge of four counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of 29-year-old Cami Umbarger; Hollie Betts, 9; Jaxon Betts, 6; and Averie Betts, 4. The complaint, filed in Labette County District Court, accuses Bennett of killing the family sometime between Nov. 23 and 25 “in an especially heinous, atrocious or cruel manner.”

http://www.chanute.com/news/article_86347f32-b3a0-11e3-a93f-001a4bcf6878.html

Fleming said Bennett’s preliminary hearing will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, in Parsons. The hearing is expected to take two days.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tribtown.com/view/story/7e767b56c5174f24810542e66eda7b1d/KS--Four-Killed-Records

A district judge has refused to unseal affidavits that would reveal details in the deaths of a southeast Kansas woman and her three children.

The Parsons Sun newspaper asked to review affidavits in the court file of David Bennett Jr., 22, of Cherryvale, who is charged with capital murder in the Nov. 23, 2013, killings of 29-year-old Cami Umbarger and her children, ages 9, 6 and 4...

Nearly all details in the case have been withheld since Bennett's arrest. A state law that came into force July 1 establishes a procedure for state courts to make public all affidavits and sworn testimony used to support arrest warrants and search warrants.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.chanute.com/news/article_744b0c5a-4f40-11e4-a56b-0017a43b2370.html

A 23-year-old man was bound over for trial Wednesday in the strangulation deaths of a woman and her three children last year in southeast Kansas. Labette County District Judge Robert Fleming found sufficient probable cause to try David Bennett Jr. after a preliminary hearing that lasted just under three hours...

According to testimony, Bennett entered Umbarger’s home and sexually assaulted her in the early morning hours of Nov. 23, 2013. Umbarger called a male friend to her home when Bennett fell asleep in her bed. The friend threw Bennett out of the bed and told him he needed to leave. Umbarger later went to Wichita to attend the bridal shower of a sister without contacting police.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents and forensic specialists testified that the bodies of Umbarger and Hollie were found two days later under different beds in the same bedroom. Jaxon’s body was found beneath clothes in a utility room in the back of the house. Averie’s body was stuffed into a clothes dryer, buried under clothes.

 

[wfgodot]

Lengthy, from Parsons Sun:

Evidence concludes in quadruple homicide hearing

David C. Bennett Jr. stalked Cami Umbarger after they met at an Independence night club, so much so that she asked and had her friends ask him to leave her alone, according to testimony Wednesday at Bennett’s preliminary hearing, after which Bennett was ordered to stand trial for capital murder.

He never did leave her alone and is alleged to have strangled Umbarger and her three children in their home, according to testimony.

Testimony indicated that Bennett, 23, contacted Umbarger by phone, text and on Facebook and called her cell phone 168 times at one point, which Umbarger showed to co-workers on Nov. 22, 2013.
---

 

[wfgodot]

from link above....

---
Dr. Erik Mitchell’s report indicates that Umbarger and her three children died from strangulation.
---
KBI special agent Steve Rosebrough was the lead investigator in the case and testified last Wednesday morning.
He testified that Cami was found under a bed in one of the bedrooms of the house. She was naked, but clothes had been piled on top of her.

Hollie was under another bed in the same room as her mom. Jaxon was in the utility room. Clothing had been piled on top of him. Averie was in the dryer, covered in clothing, Rosebrough testified.
---

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.chanute.com/news/article_a5343402-5005-11e4-a672-0017a43b2370.html

Early Saturday, Nov. 23, Bennett broke into Umbarger’s house at 415 N. 25th and sexually assaulted her, according to testimony Wednesday. Umbarger called a friend, Steven Trammell, between 5 and 6 a.m. that morning and told him that Bennett had broken into her house while she was sleeping, took his clothes off and jumped in her bed. He had a knife and Umbarger told Trammell she was scared.

Trammell testified that he made it to Umbarger’s house in 15 seconds. When he got inside, Bennett was in Umbarger’s bed, naked and asleep. Trammell testified that he grabbed Bennett and threw him onto the floor and told him to leave. Bennett asked Trammell what was going on, and didn’t leave. Bennett wanted to know why Trammell was there and why Umbarger had called him, Trammell testified. Bennett started to leave several times, but came back. About 7:30 or 7:45 a.m., Bennett finally left in his vehicle, Trammell testified.

Trammell testified that he didn’t report the incident to police. That morning was the last time he saw Umbarger.

 

[wfgodot]

Parsons Sun:

AG seeks death penalty against Bennett

 

[wfgodot]

KOAM:

Parsons Reacts to Proposed Death Penalty in Quadruple Homicide

 

[Rayemonde]

Nov 2015:

The defense team asked for records relating to a 1997 Sedgwick County case in which a man was convicted of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The connection to Bennett was not mentioned. The man was paroled in May 2009. Defense also sought records from a 2006 child in need of care case from Sedgwick County involving Bennett (he would have been 14 or 15) and another person, adoption records relating to Bennett and any juvenile criminal records for Bennett.

The next hearing in the Bennett case is set for Jan. 13, 2016. The jury trial is set for September 2016.

http://m.parsonssun.com/news/article_0754c8b8-8809-11e5-bcef-5bc7883e4f07.html?mode=jqm

 

[0101ABA]

PARSONS — A Labette County judge on Wednesday delayed for nearly a year the jury trial for a man accused of capital murder.

David Cornell Bennett Jr., 24, is charged in Labette County District Court with capital murder or in the alternative four counts of first-degree murder. The punishment for capital murder is death by lethal injection or life in prison without parole, but the punishment requires an additional hearing after a finding of guilt. The prosecution filed notice that it is seeking the death penalty in the case. Bennett also faces a rape charge, three counts of criminal threat, all felonies, and four misdemeanors, two counts of phone harassment and two counts of criminal deprivation of property.

(...)

The new jury trial will begin July 10, 2017, and is expected to last four weeks.

(...)

The next hearing for Bennett will be a motions hearing on Aug. 4. Other hearing dates before then were eliminated.

http://www.chanute.com/news/article_...93307668e.html

 

[0101ABA]

A Labette County judge ordered Wednesday a mental health evaluation of a quadruple murder suspect based on his behavior while jailed.

David Cornell Bennett Jr., 24, is charged in Labette County District Court with capital murder or in the alternative four counts of first-degree murder. The punishment for capital murder is death by lethal injection or life in prison without parole, but the punishment requires an additional hearing after a finding of guilt. The prosecution filed notice that it is seeking the death penalty. Bennett also faces a rape charge, three counts of criminal threat, all felonies, and four misdemeanors, two counts of phone harassment and two counts of criminal deprivation of property.

(...)

Late last month, Frieden and Wicks filed a motion to determine competency of their client, writing that he’d been exhibiting behavior that makes them question whether he’s capable of understanding the legal process enough to assist in his defense.

http://www.parsonssun.com/news/article_93e0ce10-494e-11e6-808b-7f9fdb66925e.html?mode=jqm

 

[glf]

I have no doubt he understands court proceedings. I know his ex-girlfriend, and I don't believe for a second he doesn't understand. He is a terrible person, and I hope he gets the death penalty.
The only thing he could claim that might have caused him emotional stress would be the death of his unborn daughter the week before her due date. She got her foot tangled up in her umbilical cord and cut off her oxygen supply. But that was in April, and it didn't take him maybe a month and he left my friend, after he had the audacity to tell her the baby's death was her fault! Then he quickly found another love interest, so I doubt her death was weighing too heavily on his mind. I could be wrong, but I really don't think so. And I know my friend felt the same way.

 

[glf]

Checked Parsons paper, no updates.

 

[glf]

Checked Parsons and Chanute papers, nothing.

 

[glf]

No news in Parsons Sun this weekend.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Bennett hearing delayed again

http://www.chanute.com/news/article_10ef4d1c-a7ac-11e6-b9a0-a3038d5a8415.html

A hearing on pretrial motions in a quadruple murder case has been delayed again so defense attorneys can argue over a recent competency evaluation, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Bennett reported hearing voices and sounds and the voices are critical of him and they interfere with his ability to think, the attorneys wrote. He reports being “out of it” and “out of touch.” He’s also paranoid and fears jailers intend to kill him. He’s also exhibiting compulsive behavior, the attorneys wrote.

Judge Robert Fleming ordered a psychiatric evaluation and Bennett was sent to Larned State Security Hospital. He returned to Labette County Oct. 25 and the report apparently indicates that Bennett is competent to stand trial.

Frieden, Wicks and Dazey filed a motion to argue the matter of competency because they object to the finding that their client is competent. This issue is scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 10, 2017.

After this issue is resolved, a hearing on pretrial motions will start on Feb. 8, 2017, and continue on Feb. 9 in district court.

Bennett’s trial is scheduled to begin July 10, 2017.

 

[glf]

I think he's perfectly competent. This is just another lousy ploy to delay the inevitable. I don't know Cami's family, but I would imagine they are furious. I know my friend would probably laugh at his pathetic attempts to avoid prison. Personally, I hope he gets the hard 50 for this.

 

[0101ABA]

Judge agrees to third evaluation for Bennett

A man accused of quadruple homicide in Labette County will undergo another psychological evaluation so a judge can ultimately determine if he’s competent to stand trial.

(...)

A hearing on pre-trial motions in Bennett’s case is set for Feb. 8 and 9 and Flesher’s evaluation and findings are to be done by then so Fleming can determine if Bennett is competent to stand trial.

Bennett’s trial is scheduled to begin July 10.