Posted on 10/16/2006 10:51:09 AM PDT by Free Vulcan
Authorities offer no motive behind shootings of 22–year–old's three teenage sisters and his parents.
By SHAWNA RICHTER
srichter@thehawkeye.com
BONAPARTE — A 22–year–old Bonaparte native was charged Sunday with murdering his parents and three sisters at their rural home early Saturday morning.
Shawn Bentler, who lives in Quincy, Ill., allegedly shot his father, Michael Bentler, 53; his mother, Sandra, 47; and his three sisters, 17–year–old Sheena, 15–year–old Shelby and 14–year–old Shayne, at their home at 23894 Hawk Road, authorities said Sunday.
Bentler was charged with five counts of first–degree murder and is being held on a $2.5 million bond at the Adams County jail in Quincy, where he was arrested Saturday, said Jim Saunders, public information officer for the Department of Public Safety, Sunday afternoon.
He will remain in the Adams County jail until extradition is arranged, Saunders said.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff's office, the office received a 911 call from Shayne Bentler at 3:38 a.m. Saturday morning.
Affidavits released regarding the 911 tape say a female called the office and asked the dispatcher for help. The voice refers to her brother who "was going to do something."
In the background, the dispatcher heard another voice saying, "Shawn don't." The dispatcher then heard a gunshot and the caller scream, "Shawn, no." Then the line went dead.
The affidavits also indicate a second 911 call was made during the first, and it went unanswered. Information available to the sheriff's office shows that the second call was made from Sandra Bentler's cell phone.
The dispatcher tried to call both the home phone and the cell phone back. Both went unanswered.
Deputies arrived at the scene shortly after and found the five victims, as well as spent shell casings throughout the home.
At this time, officials believe the family died of gunshot wounds, but autopsies are being performed by the state medical examiner in Des Moines to officially determine the cause of death.
The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations was called in to assist the Van Buren County Sheriff's office while they investigate the deaths. At least 10 DCI agents and numerous county officers are searching the crime scene, which includes the house as well as the 20 acres of property around it.
"This is a very active case," Saunders said. "At a crime scene like this it's important to take our time and not rush. ... We will take the time we need to make this a thorough investigation."
Saunders said there are no other suspects in the case, and local residents need not be worried.
"If there was any sense of risk, we'd advise as such," he said.
Bentler, who lives at 1238 N. 26th St., Quincy, was arrested in Quincy, which is about 60 miles from the family's home. He was arrested for an outstanding warrant for failure to appear for possession of drug paraphernalia. He then was charged with possession of marijuana, no drivers license and no insurance.
Saunders said Bentler did not have a record in Iowa. The Adams County Sheriff's office said Bentler was arrested in Adams County one other time, in March for trespassing.
The Adams County Sheriff's office also said Bentler will appear in court today to face his Illinois charges. They "probably" also will sign extradition papers, authorities said.
Investigators have not given a motive for the killings, Saunders said.
"That is part of the investigation we are looking into," he said. "Anything else we'd say would be speculation."
"I understand there are a lot of questions out there," he said, but all other information gathered so far is pertinent or significant evidence and therefore cannot be released.
The last murder in Van Buren County was in 1990.
"We are aware this has an impact on the community," Saunders said. "We need to start the healing process in the community."
Counselors, ministers and law enforcement officials will be on standby to listen to or help anyone in the county who needs it.
The Bentlers were an affluent family that owned an elevator and lumber company in Mount Hammill. It served most of southeast Iowa.
On Sunday morning, a deputy stood guard at the street corner in front of the Bentler home — a large house that overlooks a sprawling tree–lined bluff just outside Bonaparte.
The shootings have cast a pall on Van Buren County, a mostly rural area on the Missouri border.
At the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Farmington, where the Bentler family worshipped, some parishioners on Sunday wiped away tears as they knelt to pray, while others sat transfixed, their hands on their faces or clasped in prayer.
"You saw this in the Amish country when those girls were shot, and now it's in our backyard," said youth minister Mike Linnenbrink, referring to the shooting deaths of five girls at an Amish school in Pennsylvania this month. "It's not surprising at all that we turn to church at this time. This is a tight community, not just in Van Buren County, but in all of southeast Iowa."
Michael and Sandra Bentler often attended school sporting events and were known to lend a helping hand to their neighbors, according to the Des Moines Sunday Register.
Sandra, called Sandy, was a stay–at–home mom when the children were young, but more recently had worked in the lumberyard office.
Sheena Bentler was in advanced classes at Harmony High School. She played sports and liked to go hunting.
Her two sisters, a freshman and a sophomore, also attended Harmony High School. (School officials said they will have counselors available today to speak with grieving students.)
At one time, Shawn Bentler had worked with his father at the family business.
Shawn was popular in school, had many friends and was living in Quincy with a friend from Harmony High School. While there, he was learning a housing design program.
Peggy Troutman, mother of Dustin Troutman, who went to school with Shawn since preschool, said she never saw him angry.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Apparently from the article he was living with a roommate and going to school, which makes me think they were still supporting him monetarily.
No one can fathom from his personality why he would do this. He apparently was a very easy going and popular kid. The only answer right now is that he was out of his mind on drugs.
Next, a family will move into his house and claim it's haunted creating a huge best seller/multi-million dollar movie deal.
Doubt that'd go over well here. They'd probably get tarred and feathered.
How sad. Seems the killing of children gets more frequent. There was in Iowa also the case of little Evelyn Miller. still unsolved apparently though the mother's boyfriend sure looked suspicious.
Drugs tend to exacerbate whatever desires are already there. I wonder if it will ever be revealed why he had such deep hatred toward his entire family.
Thanks for the update, sorry this had to happen in your community.
I wonder if it will ever be revealed why he had such deep hatred toward his entire family.
I'm wondering if this was a 'step' family situation.
guess therapy and a rehab program are 'order of the day'....
"I'm wondering if this was a 'step' family situation."
Since all of the kids names begin with "Sh", I think it is probable that they are all related. What a tragedy!
I was watching a rerun of one of the CSI shows, Miami, I think, and the guy in the glasses turned to the perp that they were having trouble nailing, and said, "You are evil, and I am going to watch you die." This is the only time in recent memory that I have heard anyone outside of the GOP call someone "evil" on television. It is not always environment. Sometimes, despite what the news wants us to believe, there are bad people who do horrible things. We should bring back the noose...a method of punishment that our Founders expressed no problem over.
I believe that every person on death row should get a DNA test where it is feasible. If it proves them innocent, give them $1000 and a new suit and shove them out the door. If it prove them guilty, we have several hundred "public necktie parties" to show the impressionable youth of America that the Rule of Law is back in force.
No, they all had the same father/mother.
Don't know if the kid had therapy or not, but word is the parents were using tough love and kicked him out.
Wonder if he was on one of those ADD drugs?
>>>Doubt that'd go over well here. They'd probably get tarred and feathered.>>>
Was referring to Amityville Horror.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.