Posted on 10/15/2006 1:39:33 AM PDT by hawkeye101
Officials: Family of 5 Shot Dead in Iowa
BONAPARTE, Iowa — Three high school girls and their parents were found dead Saturday morning at their home in eastern Iowa, and the couple's son was arrested in Illinois and considered a suspect, officials said.
The victims were found shot at about 4 a.m. near Bonaparte, according to the Van Buren County sheriff's office. It was not immediately clear what prompted the slayings.
Shawn Bentler, 22, was arrested Saturday in Quincy, Ill., on an unrelated charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, the Van Buren County sheriff's office said. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said he is a suspect in the slayings.
Quincy is about 57 miles southeast of the family's home.
Parents Michael Bentler, 53, and Sandra Bentler, 47, were found dead with their daughters Sheena Bentler, 17, Shelby Bentler, 15, and Shayne Bentler, 14, Van Buren County authorities said.
The Harmony school district confirmed three of its female high school students — a freshman, sophomore and senior — and their parents were killed.
The slayings shocked residents of this eastern Iowa town, located about 145 miles southeast of Des Moines.
"The whole town knew the family," resident Marilyn Thomas said. "This is only a town of 465 people."
School officials said they will have counselors available Monday to speak with grieving students.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
the stories a day old...breaking?
Where was RObert Blake???
Wonderful guns.
Guns were responsible for this?
Actually a rather p!ss poor attempt at humor, when none was really called for.
agreed
Wow, where do I start? This occured about 8 miles where I live to the northwest. Mike and Sandy lived just across the county line in Van Buren, most of them live here in Lee near Mt. Hamill, where the family grain elevator business started. I went to school with all Mike's cousins from out and around there, have known the family for 30+ years.
Mike was the manager of the Donnellson elevator here in town. The guy I ride to work with also works there as a second job, he saw Mike regularly. He's pretty freaked out. The word he got says the kid was pretty heavy into hard drugs.
Don't know what else to say. This just doesn't happen here. We get maybe 1 or 2 murders a year in the area, some years none. I don't think multiple murders like this has ever happened. As tight knit as this area is, I can't begin to convey how much of a shock this is.
Ahh, geez. Condolences if such a thing is possible after this. Hope all the homefolks can hold it together.
Sounds like a family of 6. Sloppy editing.
"Grief counselors" are the humanistic version of clergy. Can't pray or look to God for comfort in the schools so they had to come up with something else.
agreed; guess it'll yanked from breaking section pronto....
I live about 50 miles north of bonaparte (had to look it up on the map) and never heard of it... population of 460...
horrible, just horrible... 22 year old son in custody as a suspect...
Gee. I thought it was the drug-addicted son who is thought to be responsible for these murders.
"Terrible tragedy, but the immediate referral to grief counselors is a modern anomaly. How did the US survive so long without all of this assistance???"
For sure. In about 1951, a Sioux City, Iowa -story meat packing plant was flattened by an explosion. Many were killed and virtually everyone in town lost a friend or neighbor.
We all survived w/o counselors.
Terrible.
Some would say these things have always happened and that
it just seems more frequent because of the internet etc..
I disagree.
Evil is increasing.
Prayers for the familes and those affected by this.
What sad news for S. Iowa. The meth disease continues to gather victims.
Just horrible. May they rest in peace.
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