Found Deceased AZ - Benjamin Anderson, 41, Car found burned, Phoenix, 31 Dec 2021

[Snail13]

Scary story. Definitely need more information. The family has set up a FB page: Log into Facebook

The page is now call Rest In Peace Dear Ben

 

[Kpossible44]

I’m hopeful MCSO will be able to canvass the area and quickly obtain the identity of the three individuals. The individuals may try to lay low for a bit, but they’re sloppy and are likely addicts. They won’t go far. People in that area operate under a code of silence. A man was shot in that same area (I-17 and Dunlap) last night. He would not give up the identity of the shooter. But, with a little pressure, some will talk, some will turn and some will get sloppy and slip up.

 

[Ilex]

This podcast has an interview with Ben's friend's Daniel and Susan and answers many of the questions posted on this thread.

True Crime Arizona Podcast: The strange & grisly death of Benjamin Anderson

I have messaged Daniel a link to this thread as well in hopes that he or someone else who knew Ben well could answer questions but they are mourning right now so I don't know when/if that will happen.

I went to high school with Ben and only talked to him a few times so I didn't really know him but seeing how well loved he is by so many makes me wish I had known him better.

Thank you all for trying to help. I am rooting for you all to find the missing piece that allows the people who loved him to find the individuals involved so hopefully they can find closure.

According to the podcast, Ben's friend called him at 12:15 and it went straight to voicemail, so by just after noon time, Ben must have been gone.

 

[Ilex]

This article has a few new details. There is video of the three people who were in Ben's car. One was a blonde female wearing a pink hat.
Missing Phoenix Man Found Dead After Car Was Spotted With Mystery Trio and Then Torched

 

[Snail13]

One of the things that is bothering me about this is the money and cards being left the way they were. I don't know any adult person that leaves bills strewn about or their credit cards out. It's like someone was trying to show that he wasn't robbed.

Also, Ben was 41 so I don't agree with the last minute hook up theory. I have been married a long time but I think if I were single, dates and even hook-ups would be planned ahead. That being said, he could have had a date planned and if he did, I wonder if he put it in his phone or on a calendar.

Also, I think if Ben wanted to pass on brunch for a hook-up, I think he would have just told Dan. They were long time close friends so I am sure this sort of honesty would have existed between them.

 

[CEO.SPW]

One of the things that is bothering me about this is the money and cards being left the way they were. I don't know any adult person that leaves bills strewn about or their credit cards out. It's like someone was trying to show that he wasn't robbed.

Also, Ben was 41 so I don't agree with the last minute hook up theory. I have been married a long time but I think if I were single, dates and even hook-ups would be planned ahead. That being said, he could have had a date planned and if he did, I wonder if he put it in his phone or on a calendar.

Also, I think if Ben wanted to pass on brunch for a hook-up, I think he would have just told Dan. They were long time close friends so I am sure this sort of honesty would have existed between them.

I agree about the hook-up and being honest about it. The money and cards part of the story has changed a bit IMO. When I first read the article, I read it as an area close to the entrance he came in or a kitchen counter where you put your keys/mail/pocket contents when you come in. That to me is not strange. I grew up watching my dad do this and put his items on a little monogrammed tray and then when he would leave, he would take what he needed out of the tray and go. Including cash and whatever cards he needed that weren’t in his wallet. (He didn’t like to use a wallet) I actually associate that with someone who is more tidy like they say Ben was. I feel like the “money and cards” have been exaggerated as time has gone on. I’ve seen where it was “strewn across the counter”, people saying that maybe he had a lot of cash and only small bills were left…etc. I’m inclined to believe it was the first scenario. He came home the night before being tired, unloaded his pockets and possibly changed clothes. (Think about after a trip, I always have a few random dollars or cards out of place from just putting it in a pocket or purse after leaving a store or getting gas.) If he was alone the night before, which I’m inclined to believe, I think that either he got a call/visit from someone that was troubled and needed help so he left in a hurry or he was going to get his dog from his parents and possibly run an errand for them and was car jacked or robbed at that point. I did read that there was camera footage of the car being driven shortly after the last ping from his phone before it was turned off.

 

[Mccrackenator]

I agree about the hook-up and being honest about it. The money and cards part of the story has changed a bit IMO. When I first read the article, I read it as an area close to the entrance he came in or a kitchen counter where you put your keys/mail/pocket contents when you come in. That to me is not strange. I grew up watching my dad do this and put his items on a little monogrammed tray and then when he would leave, he would take what he needed out of the tray and go. Including cash and whatever cards he needed that weren’t in his wallet. (He didn’t like to use a wallet) I actually associate that with someone who is more tidy like they say Ben was. I feel like the “money and cards” have been exaggerated as time has gone on. I’ve seen where it was “strewn across the counter”, people saying that maybe he had a lot of cash and only small bills were left…etc. I’m inclined to believe it was the first scenario. He came home the night before being tired, unloaded his pockets and possibly changed clothes. (Think about after a trip, I always have a few random dollars or cards out of place from just putting it in a pocket or purse after leaving a store or getting gas.) If he was alone the night before, which I’m inclined to believe, I think that either he got a call/visit from someone that was troubled and needed help so he left in a hurry or he was going to get his dog from his parents and possibly run an errand for them and was car jacked or robbed at that point. I did read that there was camera footage of the car being driven shortly after the last ping from his phone before it was turned off.

100% agree. On its face, there is nothing weird about the cards, money, messy bed, or damp towel. IMO, same can be said for BA’s employment and recent road trip. Usually, truth is not as strange as fiction.

 

[Ilex]

It is strange that Ben was found 30 miles away. Why drive him 30 miles away and then return to his area? Were the trio planning on returning Ben's car to his apt?
It would make sense that Ben was killed fairly close to where they left him. They took the car back to his town because they needed it to get them back "home". So that would mean they most likely live in that area.
That they drove off when confronted by Ben's friends, leads me to believe they recognized Ben's friends. The trio immediately noticed Ben's friends and reacted to them being there. While Ben's friends may not have recognized the trio, the trio knew who they were and reacted and fled. The trio may be someone they met, only briefly.
I believe this was someone Ben knew. There was no sign of break-in, which makes me think Ben let someone in. I think it was one person, they asked for a lift to the area 30 miles away. When they got there, they met up with two other people, something happened and Ben was killed. They left his body, returned "home", planned to dump the car back at Ben's but maybe saw people milling around and decided to wait. Then when they were caught by Ben's friends, they drove the car to another spot, set it on fire and left.

 

[Ilex]

Here's a great timeline:
8:00 a.m. December 31
Friends of Anderson said they had plans to go to breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve morning.

“8 a.m. - Ben called me and had canceled,” Daniel Stahoviak, a close friend of Anderson’s said.

Stahoviak said Anderson said he was tired, which Stahoviak said wasn’t surprising given he had been driving and visiting friends the day before.

“Nothing was unusual,” Stahoviak said.

1:40 p.m. December 31
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said their call for service to a body found in the desert was initiated at 1:40 p.m.

MCSO said the body of Anderson was found in the desert near I-17 and Table Mesa Road.

6:30 p.m. December 31
Friends and family did not know that MCSO had found Anderson’s body on New Year’s Eve, and Stahoviak said they started to notice Anderson hadn’t contacted him since around 6:30 p.m.

Stahoviak said he went to Anderson’s home near 7th Street and Maryland Avenue at that time to try and see if he could find him.

“His car was gone when I got there,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said credit cards and cash were left on the counter, with laundry strewn about the condo.

“I guess what struck me the most is there was a wet towel on his bed,” Stahoviak said. “Ben is very clean and tidy in his home and he would never do something like that.”

7:30 p.m. December 31
By 7:30 p.m., friends and family had reported Anderson missing to the Phoenix Police Department.

Stahoviak said they also had called Lexus, the maker of Anderson’s car, to see if they could GPS track the car.

“They could see the location, but they wouldn’t give it to us,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said Phoenix police, who were given the information by Lexus, went to a Super 8 motel off I-17 south of Dunlap Avenue.

“The police officers called us, the vehicle wasn’t there,” Stahoviak said. “It had already moved.”

Stahoviak said a carload of people went to the Super 8 using the car.

“All we knew is he was somewhere near the Black Canyon Highway, and most businesses are closed, but there’s hotels. So we thought, ‘Let’s just drive through hotels.’,” Stahoviak said.

12:20 a.m. January 1
Twenty minutes into the new year, Stahoviak said they went through the garage at the Sheraton Phoenix Crescent near Dunlap Avenue and I-17.

Stahoviak said when they got to the fourth floor of the parking garage, they spotted Anderson’s car.

“There was his car, backed into a spot, three people around it. Ben wasn’t with them,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said they followed the car out of the garage, down the frontage road and into a parking lot.

“They came back out, turned left going the wrong way on the frontage road,” Stahoviak said. “Obviously it’s now becoming very dangerous so we stopped.”

After calling 911, Stahoivak said Phoenix police came to try and find the car but didn’t have any luck.

Stahoviak said they then went back to Anderson’s condo to see if there were any more clues, while also calling Lexus back to see if they could get any more information.

“Lexus then told us after begging that the vehicle was now offline,” Stahoviak said.

4:00 a.m. January 1
Around 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Stahoviak said they discovered the Lexus in the parking lot of UEI College – which is adjacent to the Sheraton where they found the car originally.

“His car was found here destroyed, burnt,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said Anderson’s duffel bag and lights he purchased were still in the back of the car.

January 3
MCSO did not release that the body was Anderson’s until Monday, Jan. 3.

Event timeline of missing Benjamin Anderson | 12news.com

 

[JJ Ray]

A couple of follow up thoughts and questions…
From the attached video…
The man interviewed in this video is a neighbor and said that nothing nefarious happens there but said maybe he was car jacked going to a store or Starbucks. If the pharmacy story is true, I wonder what pharmacy he was supposed to pick medicine up from for his parents? Maybe he was carjacked from there?
-It looks like his condo had a garage. IMO the only way I could possibly see how the murder could have happened at home, would be if the car was in the garage. I can’t see how a body of his size could be carried out and put in a compact car in the morning without someone seeing something!?!
-Originally from the Citizens app video of the car burning that Daniel shared I wondered if anyone saw anything from the houses you could see in the background but if this video is correct, would it have been the SpringHill suits in the background or both? With it being NYE, you would think the likelihood of people being awake would be greater.
Any thoughts/information on this?

1. Walgreens at Glendale and 7th ST. another at 16th Street and Glendale.
2. From the quick angle I saw, Springhill Suites would be to the left, the Crescent Hotel back right, office buildings middle back. Hopefully, PD would try to locate guests that stayed in the rooms at Springhill that face the canal/parking lot where car was. I believe this was actually filmed from eoither i-17 or the frontage road just north of the Canal (in front of Springhill).

 

[Evilxelvis138]

Here's a great timeline:
8:00 a.m. December 31
Friends of Anderson said they had plans to go to breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve morning.

“8 a.m. - Ben called me and had canceled,” Daniel Stahoviak, a close friend of Anderson’s said.

Stahoviak said Anderson said he was tired, which Stahoviak said wasn’t surprising given he had been driving and visiting friends the day before.

“Nothing was unusual,” Stahoviak said.

1:40 p.m. December 31
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said their call for service to a body found in the desert was initiated at 1:40 p.m.

MCSO said the body of Anderson was found in the desert near I-17 and Table Mesa Road.

6:30 p.m. December 31
Friends and family did not know that MCSO had found Anderson’s body on New Year’s Eve, and Stahoviak said they started to notice Anderson hadn’t contacted him since around 6:30 p.m.

Stahoviak said he went to Anderson’s home near 7th Street and Maryland Avenue at that time to try and see if he could find him.

“His car was gone when I got there,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said credit cards and cash were left on the counter, with laundry strewn about the condo.

“I guess what struck me the most is there was a wet towel on his bed,” Stahoviak said. “Ben is very clean and tidy in his home and he would never do something like that.”

7:30 p.m. December 31
By 7:30 p.m., friends and family had reported Anderson missing to the Phoenix Police Department.

Stahoviak said they also had called Lexus, the maker of Anderson’s car, to see if they could GPS track the car.

“They could see the location, but they wouldn’t give it to us,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said Phoenix police, who were given the information by Lexus, went to a Super 8 motel off I-17 south of Dunlap Avenue.

“The police officers called us, the vehicle wasn’t there,” Stahoviak said. “It had already moved.”

Stahoviak said a carload of people went to the Super 8 using the car.

“All we knew is he was somewhere near the Black Canyon Highway, and most businesses are closed, but there’s hotels. So we thought, ‘Let’s just drive through hotels.’,” Stahoviak said.

12:20 a.m. January 1
Twenty minutes into the new year, Stahoviak said they went through the garage at the Sheraton Phoenix Crescent near Dunlap Avenue and I-17.

Stahoviak said when they got to the fourth floor of the parking garage, they spotted Anderson’s car.

“There was his car, backed into a spot, three people around it. Ben wasn’t with them,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said they followed the car out of the garage, down the frontage road and into a parking lot.

“They came back out, turned left going the wrong way on the frontage road,” Stahoviak said. “Obviously it’s now becoming very dangerous so we stopped.”

After calling 911, Stahoivak said Phoenix police came to try and find the car but didn’t have any luck.

Stahoviak said they then went back to Anderson’s condo to see if there were any more clues, while also calling Lexus back to see if they could get any more information.

“Lexus then told us after begging that the vehicle was now offline,” Stahoviak said.

4:00 a.m. January 1
Around 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Stahoviak said they discovered the Lexus in the parking lot of UEI College – which is adjacent to the Sheraton where they found the car originally.

“His car was found here destroyed, burnt,” Stahoviak said.

Stahoviak said Anderson’s duffel bag and lights he purchased were still in the back of the car.

January 3
MCSO did not release that the body was Anderson’s until Monday, Jan. 3.

Event timeline of missing Benjamin Anderson | 12news.com

Not staying they are suspect… but I wonder if any of Ben’s friends have been ruled out as suspects. Is there any footage they took of the people around Ben’s car or any dash cam of them chasing the car? TBH I haven’t looked into it, but if there were multiple people in the friend’s car who witnessed these people and the chase there should definitely be some footage.

I am sure a true friend wouldn’t mind providing an alibi and/or proof of what they saw.

 

[JJ Ray]

It is strange that Ben was found 30 miles away. Why drive him 30 miles away and then return to his area? Were the trio planning on returning Ben's car to his apt?
It would make sense that Ben was killed fairly close to where they left him. They took the car back to his town because they needed it to get them back "home". So that would mean they most likely live in that area.
That they drove off when confronted by Ben's friends, leads me to believe they recognized Ben's friends. The trio immediately noticed Ben's friends and reacted to them being there. While Ben's friends may not have recognized the trio, the trio knew who they were and reacted and fled. The trio may be someone they met, only briefly.
I believe this was someone Ben knew. There was no sign of break-in, which makes me think Ben let someone in. I think it was one person, they asked for a lift to the area 30 miles away. When they got there, they met up with two other people, something happened and Ben was killed. They left his body, returned "home", planned to dump the car back at Ben's but maybe saw people milling around and decided to wait. Then when they were caught by Ben's friends, they drove the car to another spot, set it on fire and left.

IMO, I just get the sense something got out of hand. The body was dumped late morning and then the car was dumped at Super 8 or another location along that stretch. The perpetrator could then get UBER, pick up whatever and be gone from area. Keys left on car seat. Yahoos come along...after they are chased they realize this is getting hairy (and light car on fire) not knowing it's involved in a potential homicide but still realizing it's something more than just them boosting a car. Maybe...

 

[JJ Ray]

This podcast has an interview with Ben's friend's Daniel and Susan and answers many of the questions posted on this thread.

True Crime Arizona Podcast: The strange & grisly death of Benjamin Anderson

I have messaged Daniel a link to this thread as well in hopes that he or someone else who knew Ben well could answer questions but they are mourning right now so I don't know when/if that will happen.

I went to high school with Ben and only talked to him a few times so I didn't really know him but seeing how well loved he is by so many makes me wish I had known him better.

Thank you all for trying to help. I am rooting for you all to find the missing piece that allows the people who loved him to find the individuals involved so hopefully they can find closure.

These podcasters are vultures...wringing out lurid stuff and peoples pain for clicks/bucks.

 

[JJ Ray]

I agree about the hook-up and being honest about it. The money and cards part of the story has changed a bit IMO. When I first read the article, I read it as an area close to the entrance he came in or a kitchen counter where you put your keys/mail/pocket contents when you come in. That to me is not strange. I grew up watching my dad do this and put his items on a little monogrammed tray and then when he would leave, he would take what he needed out of the tray and go. Including cash and whatever cards he needed that weren’t in his wallet. (He didn’t like to use a wallet) I actually associate that with someone who is more tidy like they say Ben was. I feel like the “money and cards” have been exaggerated as time has gone on. I’ve seen where it was “strewn across the counter”, people saying that maybe he had a lot of cash and only small bills were left…etc. I’m inclined to believe it was the first scenario. He came home the night before being tired, unloaded his pockets and possibly changed clothes. (Think about after a trip, I always have a few random dollars or cards out of place from just putting it in a pocket or purse after leaving a store or getting gas.) If he was alone the night before, which I’m inclined to believe, I think that either he got a call/visit from someone that was troubled and needed help so he left in a hurry or he was going to get his dog from his parents and possibly run an errand for them and was car jacked or robbed at that point. I did read that there was camera footage of the car being driven shortly after the last ping from his phone before it was turned off.

@Snail13 and @CEO.SPW and @mccraknator liking all your thinking....when I indicated I thought something happened in the morning, I wasn't necessarily saying it was a hook-up kind of thing, although to be honest I gave it a little more weight in the beginning. But I think you are right if thats what he was into, it would not be a secret between them and more than likely would have just said so. The money and cards just indicate in a hurry, or it was an attempted burglary gone wrong thinking he had gone to work, or still no word on relationship status/recent new friends.

The area while generally safe is not that far from Sunnyslope and when I lived 2 streets over on Maryland I caught someone casing the garages at 4 in the morning on a bicycle, had many things go missing from garages, had a car jacker hide out in my 1st floor bathroom, while I was upstairs waiting for the cops to come in with the dogs...long story. So the neighborhood is not without its drama. 3 people have been killed over the past 2o years right at 16th street and Bethany Home....

 

[BradSleuth1]

This podcast has an interview with Ben's friend's Daniel and Susan and answers many of the questions posted on this thread.

True Crime Arizona Podcast: The strange & grisly death of Benjamin Anderson

I have messaged Daniel a link to this thread as well in hopes that he or someone else who knew Ben well could answer questions but they are mourning right now so I don't know when/if that will happen.

I went to high school with Ben and only talked to him a few times so I didn't really know him but seeing how well loved he is by so many makes me wish I had known him better.

Thank you all for trying to help. I am rooting for you all to find the missing piece that allows the people who loved him to find the individuals involved so hopefully they can find closure.

Did he respond?

 

[Snail13]

Not staying they are suspect… but I wonder if any of Ben’s friends have been ruled out as suspects. Is there any footage they took of the people around Ben’s car or any dash cam of them chasing the car? TBH I haven’t looked into it, but if there were multiple people in the friend’s car who witnessed these people and the chase there should definitely be some footage.

I am sure a true friend wouldn’t mind providing an alibi and/or proof of what they saw.

I know Dan and would testify in court that he is not the kind of person to make anything like this up or to harm anyone.

 

[Snail13]

Did he respond?

Not yet. He is grieving so I am not going to pressure him.

 

[Snail13]

1. Walgreens at Glendale and 7th ST. another at 16th Street and Glendale.
2. From the quick angle I saw, Springhill Suites would be to the left, the Crescent Hotel back right, office buildings middle back. Hopefully, PD would try to locate guests that stayed in the rooms at Springhill that face the canal/parking lot where car was. I believe this was actually filmed from eoither i-17 or the frontage road just north of the Canal (in front of Springhill).

16th St. and Glendale Walgreens doesn't have a drive through and the 7th St. and Glendale does for what it is worth and both would have cameras.

There are been issues in that area with those pharmacies being robbed for Oxycontin for over 15 years. While it makes more sense to me that he would have been picking up his aunt prescription closer to her home, he may have tried to get it at one of those locations. 16th and Glendale is sketchier imo.

 

[JJ Ray]

I know Dan and would testify in court that he is not the kind of person to make anything like this up or to harm anyone.

I don't think @Evilxelvis138 is referring to Daniel or close friends. I think the comment is directed more like mine, next level friends/acquaintances or new friends/relationships. i.e. not a random break in or encounter at 7 eleven. With no forced entry and no video so far of car in AM, can't rule out the person was known to Ben.

 

[JJ Ray]

16th St. and Glendale Walgreens doesn't have a drive through and the 7th St. and Glendale does for what it is worth and both would have cameras.

There are been issues in that area with those pharmacies being robbed for Oxycontin for over 15 years. While it makes more sense to me that he would have been picking up his aunt prescription closer to her home, he may have tried to get it at one of those locations. 16th and Glendale is sketchier imo.

Hey now! I lived on Lamar for 4 years before I moved over to 10th and Maryland.
Just kidding, the canal is a great outdoor activity/homeless highway.