North Carolina cold case murder victim identified after nearly 3 decades, police say

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Acold case murder victim has been identified nearly 30 years later using forensic genetic genealogy, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Police said human skeletal remains were found in a wooded area next to the Bank of America Stadium in July 1996. A medical examiner found that the remains belonged to a woman, and her death was ruled a homicide.

In 2022, investigators said the woman's DNA was sent to Raleigh for an osteological examination by a forensic anthropologist. The initial attempt to obtain DNA was unsuccessful, and the woman's bones were sent to a lab for DNA extraction in 2024.

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The woman was later identified as Betty Jean Benton.

Benton's family said she was born in Louisiana in 1954 and spent most of her life in Chicago, Illinois. They said they lost contact with Benton in February 1991 when she told them she was in North Carolina.

The family reported Benton missing in 1992, however, authorities said they have not found record of Benton living in North Carolina.

The CMPD Cold Case Unit has asked that anyone who may have had contact with Benton in North Carolina or who has information on her murder call (704)-432-TIPS to speak directly with a detective. Benton's case is still considered to be under investigation, CMPD said.

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