On November 8, 2021, authorities in Fort Wayne, Indiana, responded to a residence in the 3600 block of Turf Lane following a report of an unresponsive person. Inside the home, officers discovered the body of 74-year-old Kenneth Ralph Behny, a White male who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head. The Allen County Coroner’s Office subsequently ruled the death a homicide, noting that the injury was caused by a shotgun loaded with birdshot-style metal pellets.
Investigators focused their attention on the victim's wife, Susan A. Behny, who had contacted emergency services to report finding her husband dead. During interviews with law enforcement, she stated that Kenneth had gone to bed around 7:00 p.m. the previous evening and that they slept in separate rooms. She claimed to have discovered his body when she went to wake him the following day. Detectives noted a significant bruise on her upper arm, which they alleged was consistent with the recoil of firing a shotgun, though the weapon itself was never recovered.
In April 2022, nearly five months after the discovery of the body, police arrested Susan Behny and charged her with murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. The prosecution built its case on circumstantial evidence, pointing to the physical mark on her arm and inconsistencies in her account. Witnesses also suggested to police that the couple’s relationship had been strained. Susan maintained her innocence throughout the investigation, asserting that she had no involvement in her husband's death.
The case proceeded to trial in July 2022. The defense argued that the bruise on Susan's arm could have been caused by other means and emphasized the lack of direct forensic evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, linking her to the crime. They also contended that her calm demeanor, which police had found suspicious, was a reaction to shock. After deliberating, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Susan Behny of all charges related to the death of her husband.
