from myfoxdc: It was a vicious crime, a couple attacked and beaten in Northern Virginia, one year ago Monday [mar22]. The husband, a former green beret, died. A year later, the suspects in the crime have yet to go on trial and two haven't even been charged. William and Cynthia Bennett had gone out for their morning jog in their Lansdowne neighborhood. They were at Riverside Parkway near Rocky Creek Drive when they were attacked. Back at the one time crime scene today, a makeshift memorial is fading, except for a bouquet of fresh flowers. It's a fresh reminder one year later of the brutal attack that killed William Bennett and nearly killed his wife. At the time, Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney James Plowman said, "This was a particularly violent case. I've never seen anything like this before, and I hope I never do again."
slaying victim's ashes laid rest from loudoun times: William Bennett's family received a bit of closure Oct. 19, when he was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery in a 9 a.m. full military ceremony. The Ashburn resident, 57, was slain earlier this year. The private inurnment was followed by a two-hour memorial service at Fort Myer, which nearly 100 guests attended. Bennett and his wife, Cynthia, Potomac Station residents, were attacked March 22 in Lansdowne during an early morning jog. Bennett was slain and his wife severely beaten. She attended Monday and continues to recover. Bennett was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and decorated Special Forces officer. “It was very moving," said a Potomac Station neighbor of the Bennetts who attended the memorial service but did not want his name printed. Kraig Troxell, spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, said investigators from the case also attended. Sheriff Steve Simpson also was present. Suspects in the attack have been arrested and are being held awaiting trial.
alleged gang members arrested in lansdowne murder [apr27] from nbcwashington: Two men have been arrested and two more are being held in the murder and brutal attack of William Bennett of Lansdowne. The suspects are allegedly members of - or associated with - an established criminal street gang, but the crimes against the Bennetts don't appear to be a part of a gang initiation or specific gang-ritual, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said. "They [the Bennetts] were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," Loudoun Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson said. Two of the men - Darwin G. Bowman, 18, of Annandale, VA, and an unidentified 17-year-old male from Sterling, VA - have been charged with capital murder, a charge made in crimes that usually show motive. A third man, Anthony R. Roberts, 20, of Middleburg, VA, is currently being held on burglary charges; he is also expected to receive the same murder charge. A fourth suspect, an unidentified 18-year-old man from Sterling, VA, is also being held in custody on unrelated charges. The motive behind the March 22 attacks was robbery, according to officials. A white panel van seen in the area of the attacks was key to breaking the case; it had also been spotted during a gang-on-gang assault in Sterling on February 28. All suspects are currently being held without bond. Further charges for the attack of Cynthia Bennett, who remains hospitalized, are pending, as are more arrests.
sheriff expects at least 5th suspect in lansdowne homicide [apr28]
from nbcwashington: The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office expects at least one more arrest in the death of William Bennett and brutal beating of his wife in Lansdowne despite four arrests... Investigators have executed 20 search warrants and conducted at least 100 interviews, but more police work is ahead of them. "We feel fairly confident that there's probably a fifth person, maybe a sixth, but we're not as confident on that," Sheriff Steve Simpson said... The motive behind the March 22 attacks was robbery, according to officials. "Well it is hard for us to grasp something like that, but we don't think like they do," Simpson said. "Violence is their way of life. It's a sign of authority, it's a sign of power, it's a sign of control. So violence is second nature. So to them it's nothing, probably. To most normal decent people, it shocks them beyond belief."
on the record: jim plowman addresses murder in lansdowne from loudoun independent: In an exclusive video interview with Jim Plowman, the Loudoun Independent asks the Commonwealth’s Attorney about the tragic murder of William Bennett and the brutal beating of his wife, Cynthia last Sunday morning [mar22] in the Lansdowne area. A rattled community is left with more questions than answers.
slain man had been contractor for cia [mar25] from washington post/loudoun extra: A Loudoun County man slain while out for an early morning walk with his wife worked as a contractor at the Central Intelligence Agency for several years until 2000, the CIA confirmed yesterday, and investigators said they want to meet with agency officials to learn more about the nature of his work. The sheriff said his officers have not determined a motive for Sunday's attack, in which William Bennett, 57, was killed and his wife, Cynthia, 55, was critically injured. The assault might have been random, but deputies have not ruled out the possibility that they were targeted. "We're just trying to find out if there's anything in his background that could have led to this," Loudoun Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson said. "We do that with anybody; it's not just because he's with the government. You talk with family. You talk with friends. You talk with co-workers. You look for enemies."
fbi helps loudoun county sheriff with ex-cia slaying [mar30] from nbc washington: The FBI has joined the investigation into the death of a Loudoun County man who used to be a contractor for the CIA. Agents are checking to see if William Bennett has any enemies from his CIA days, sources said. Deputies found Bennett's body in a grassy area next to Riverside Parkway early on March 22. His wife, Cynthia Bennett, was found injured nearby. She was airlifted to an area hospital, where she remains in critical condition. The couple may have been attacked by three people seen driving suspiciously in the area in a white-panel van, investigators said. The Bennetts were wearing jogging outfits. Investigators still do not know the motive for the attack or whether it was gang-related or random. They also don't know if the attack took place were the couple was found or if the bodies were moved to that location. What they do know is that William Bennett was a CIA contractor until 2000. He was involved in a mistaken bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in May 1999 during the conflict with Kosovo, according to intelligence sources. Three people were killed and 20 injured in that bombing. The CIA later took responsibility. Bennett was one of the officials who helped identify targets in Belgrade, according to a retired senior intelligence officer.
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