IN IN - Benita Moore Spears, 23, Gary, 24 Oct 1989

http://www.post-trib.com/news/1909667,gvigil1129.article

29 Nov 09

Family members shared at turns hilarious and touching stories of Benita Moore Spears, who disappeared more than 20 years ago, at a memorial service at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday night.

Spears was 23 when she disappeared on Oct. 26, 1989. At the time, the Gary resident was a divorced mother of two sons, working at Inland Steel and attending school at Indiana University Northwest full-time.

Police suspected her ex-husband, Johnny Spears Jr., of foul play in her disappearance, but no charges were ever filed. He was released from jail the night before his ex-wife's disappearance. He had served prison time for criminal confinement of Benita.

much more at link

Benita Moore Spears

Doe Network Case File 2200DFIN

Missing from Gary, IN since October 24, 1989

23 years old

5'2", 120 lbs

African American female, brown hair, brown eyes

Hernia scar on abdomen, pierced ears

Beauty mark on left cheek and chipped front tooth

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2200dfin.html
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/spears_benita.html

Benita is being considered to be Ivy Doe found in Houston 2005.

TX TX - Houston, BlkFem 552UFTX, 25-35, Pierced Heart Tattoo, Jun'05 - Page 3 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

He murdered her. But why wasn't he charhed with it?. It's all so obvious. There were even witnesses seeing his car outside of her house. Scandalous why a man who just came out of jail for domestic abuse can drive right to his ex-wifes house and kill her and to get away with it.

<<In an effort to bring temporary closure to our family, we will celebrate her life with a memorial service. We also hope that this event will bring attention to abuse victims, missing persons and the struggles and grief faced by the families they leave behind. Benita is gone but not forgotten>>

• 
  

Benita, circa 1989

<<There was a history of domestic violence in the marriage. In 1988, Johnny was charged with two felonies after he beat Benita, abducted her at gunpoint and took her out of state. He pleaded guilty to criminal confinement and was sentenced to two years in prison. Benita filed for divorce that same year.

Johnny was released from Lake County Jail the night before Benita disappeared. Shortly after her disappearance, he was seen driving her 1981 Oldsmobile Omega with the license plate number 45P2981.

It had been parked at Benita's home when she was reported missing, but disappeared a short time later. The vehicle wasn't located until November 23, when it turned up at a parking lot at South Shore Line in East Chicago, Illinois.>>