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Case Description
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Madeline Benitez, 64, was last seen in Santa Cruz, California on October 29, 2011, and has not been heard from since. She was officially reported as a missing person on November 8, 2011, nine days after she failed to show up for her weekly job at a Burger King restaurant in Capitola. Benitez, originally from New York City, was known to be a creature of habit, attending church every Sunday and marking off each day on her calendar. The last date marked on her calendar was October 29, the day her c ...Read More
Last Seen: Oct 29, 2011
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Victim Details

Jan 24, 2026

Jan 24, 2026

Madeline

Benitez

64

64

5'4 - 5'6 inches

200 lbs

White

Female

Benitez was last seen in Santa Cruz, California on October 29, 2011. She has never been heard from again. She was reported missing on November 8, nine days after the last time she showed up for work. She worked at a Burger King restaurant in Capitola, California once a week, and attended church every Sunday. When a friend checked Benitez's apartment in the 1600 block of Soquel Avenue, nothing was out of place or missing. Benitez marked off each day on her calendar; the last mark had been on October 29, the day she was last seen by coworkers. Authorities believe she may be with a local homeless man known only as Randy; he often stays in Capitola. He's described as White, about 5'8 with a slender build and a brown and gray beard. He was in his fifties in 2011. The circumstances of Benitez's disappearance are unclear. She is originally from New York City. Her case remains unsolved.

Oct 29, 2011

Santa Cruz

California

Santa Cruz

9

Santa Cruz Police Departmen

831-420-5870

01/25/2026