In the quiet town of London, Kentucky, a deeply disturbing event shattered the community in September of 2020. Mary Benge, a 66-year-old female, and her husband, Johnny Benge, 69, were discovered deceased in the living room of their Tomcat Trail home. A family member made the grim discovery, finding that both had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The couple was known in their community, with Mary having worked as a cook at the Clay County Detention Center for many years and co-pastoring the Gospel Tabernacle Church of God.
The investigation swiftly identified a primary suspect, the couple's 40-year-old son, Joseph L. Benge. Authorities reported that Joseph fled the scene in his parents' white 2015 Ford Taurus. A search for the suspect and the vehicle was immediately launched, and an all-points bulletin was issued. Investigators were able to track Joseph's location by pinging his cell phone, which led them to Mayfield, Kentucky, approximately 300 miles away from the scene of the crime.
Kentucky State Police located Joseph Benge in Mayfield and apprehended him during a traffic stop without incident. Upon searching the vehicle, investigators discovered multiple firearms, including a handgun, two shotguns, a. 22 caliber rifle, and body armor. Joseph L. Benge was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of murder, one count of robbery, and theft by unlawful taking of an automobile over $10,000. He was transported back to Laurel County and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center. While a motive for the double homicide was not immediately released, it was reported that Golden Alerts had been issued for Joseph in 2018 and 2019 when he had previously gone missing, with reports at the time indicating he suffered from mental disabilities.
