Myrtle Dee Benham, a 56-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on March 20, 1981. Her body was discovered inside an abandoned desert house in Baker, California. The crime was part of a larger spree committed by Kelvin Malone, a convicted murderer who was ultimately sentenced to death for his actions. Malone was found guilty of robbery, rape, and the shooting death of Benham.
Malone's accomplice, Michael Terry Crenshaw, was also implicated in the crime. Crenshaw, who was 22 years old at the time, was sentenced to 25 years to life for his role in the murder. Prosecutors portrayed Malone as the more aggressive of the two, identifying him as the actual killer. Crenshaw attempted to argue that he was too frightened to stop Malone, but the court rejected this claim.
Malone's crime spree extended beyond Benham's murder. He was also convicted of killing Minnie Ola White, a 55-year-old woman from Texas, whose body was found stuffed in the trunk of a leased car abandoned near Blythe, California, on March 24, 1981. Additionally, Malone was linked to the murder of cab driver William Parr, 62, of Berkeley, Missouri, on March 18, 1981, and the disappearance of Kansas City resident James Rankin, whose body was never found.
Malone was sentenced to death in both California and Missouri for his crimes. He remained on death row at San Quentin State Prison until he was extradited to Missouri in December 1998 to face execution. On January 13, 1999, he was executed by lethal injection at the Potosi Correctional Center.
Crenshaw, who assisted authorities in their investigations, received a life sentence for his involvement in the murder of Minnie Ola White. His sentencing ran consecutively with another life sentence imposed by a Riverside Superior Court judge for his role in White's murder.
The case of Myrtle Dee Benham remains a grim reminder of the violent crime spree committed by Malone and Crenshaw. Their actions led to multiple convictions and ultimately resulted in Malone's execution, ensuring justice for the victims and their families.
