In the spring or summer of 2010, a time when the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a major event, 75-year-old Franklin Dolphus Chastain was last seen in Ozark, Dale County, Alabama. For years, his absence was a quiet mystery, with his daughter, Erika Bennefield, deflecting inquiries from concerned relatives and continuing to collect her father's Social Security and pension benefits.
The truth behind his disappearance remained hidden, a dark secret kept within the family, preventing any formal investigation or search for the elderly man. It wasn't until six years later that the disturbing details surrounding what happened to him would begin to surface, not as the result of a missing person's investigation, but through a separate and serious criminal case involving his son-in-law.
The grim reality of Franklin Chastain's fate came to light in 2016 during an investigation into molestation charges against his son-in-law, Ricky Bennefield. A victim in that case revealed a harrowing story of a family car trip from Alabama to Florida that ended in tragedy. According to the witness, Mr. Chastain passed away during the journey. Instead of seeking help or reporting the death, Ricky Bennefield allegedly stopped the car and forced his wife, Erika, and the victim to bury Franklin's body in a makeshift grave alongside the road. The initial burial was apparently not the end of the ordeal. After continuing their trip for a short time, Bennefield reportedly decided the grave was too shallow and turned the car around.
Upon returning to the burial site, the body of Franklin Chastain was disinterred and placed back in the vehicle. The group then drove a few more miles before reburying him in a second, more concealed location further from the road. Ricky Bennefield later admitted to dumping his father-in-law's body in a makeshift grave somewhere near the Alabama-Florida state line. This confession prompted extensive searches involving cadaver dogs in an attempt to locate Mr. Chastain's remains and bring a final, dignified resolution to his case. Despite these efforts, his body has never been found. The case of Franklin Dolphus Chastain is a deeply unsettling one, not of a person who simply vanished, but of a death concealed through deception and fear. The truth was hidden for years by his own daughter who financially benefited from his absence, and the full story was only revealed through a separate, traumatic crime, leaving a lingering sense of sorrow and unanswered questions about his final resting place.Last Seen: Apr 1, 2010
