Dr. Claudia Benton, a 39-year-old Peruvian woman, was brutally murdered in her home in West University Place, Texas, on December 17, 1998. Benton, a geneticist, was found sexually assaulted, stabbed, and beaten to death inside her residence, which was located near railroad tracks. Her attacker had broken into her home and assaulted her while she was alone, as her husband and two children were away at the time. The forensic investigation revealed that she had suffered multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma, including 19 blunt force injuries to her head and three skull fractures. The autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.
The assailant stole several items from Benton's home, including a banjo, a guitar, a stereo, and various pieces of jewelry. Additionally, her Jeep was stolen from her garage after the perpetrator dismantled its steering column and jump-started the vehicle. The stolen Jeep was later recovered in a motel parking lot in San Antonio, Texas, near railroad tracks. Investigators processed the vehicle and obtained fingerprints from it, which led them to a suspect.
Authorities identified the perpetrator as Angel Maturino Reséndiz, also known as the 'Railroad Killer.' Reséndiz was a serial killer who traveled across the United States using freight trains, committing multiple murders. His fingerprints were found in Benton's stolen vehicle, and strong DNA and fingerprint evidence linked him to the crime. Reséndiz had a history of violent offenses and was eventually arrested on July 13, 1999, after surrendering to authorities. He was convicted of multiple murders, including Benton's, and was executed by lethal injection in Texas on June 27, 2006. Benton's murder was one of several committed by Reséndiz, who targeted victims near railroad tracks, often breaking into their homes and attacking them while they slept.
