In the pre-dawn hours of October 14, 2006, a horrific scene unfolded in the quiet, rural community of Bonaparte, Iowa, culminating in the death of Michael J. Bentler, a 53-year-old Caucasian male. The tranquility of the Bentler family home, situated on a sprawling 20-acre property, was shattered by an act of brutal violence that would claim the lives of Michael, his 47-year-old wife Sandra, and their three daughters: 17-year-old Sheena, 15-year-old Shelby, and 14-year-old Shayné.
All five victims were found fatally shot.
The investigation almost immediately focused on one of their own, the couple's 22-year-old son, Shawn Bentler. The pivotal clue came from a chilling 911 call placed from the Bentler residence at 3:38 a.m.. On the recording, young Shayné Bentler could be heard telling the dispatcher that her brother was "going to do something." In the background, her mother, Sandra, could be heard screaming, "Please don't! Please Shawn don't!" which was followed by the sound of a gunshot. Shayné then screamed "Shawn, no!" before the line went dead. This heart-wrenching plea from beyond the grave provided investigators with a direct lead.
Shawn Bentler, who lived in Quincy, Illinois, a drive of about an hour and twenty minutes from Bonaparte, was located and placed under surveillance. He was arrested later that same day in Quincy on an unrelated warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. On October 15, 2006, charges were formally filed against him in Iowa for five counts of first-degree murder. Investigators quickly established a motive, alleging that Shawn murdered his entire family to gain immediate access to their substantial estate, valued at an estimated $2.8 million. Michael Bentler was the successful owner of a local elevator and lumber company.
Shawn Bentler's trial commenced in May 2007, where the prosecution's case was built around the damning 911 call and physical evidence, including two small drops of his mother's blood found on the socks he was wearing when arrested. Despite his defense attorneys' arguments and Shawn taking the stand to profess his innocence, he was found guilty on all five counts of first-degree murder on May 24, 2007. On June 19, 2007, he was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences in prison, bringing a legal conclusion to one of the most shocking and brutal mass murders in Iowa's history. The judge ordered the sentence for the murder of his mother, Sandra, to be served consecutively due to the "absolutely merciless" nature of her killing as she begged for her life.
