Found Deceased NC - Kristen Ashley Bennett, 24, Carteret County, 14 Aug 2018 *Arrest*

[OldCop]

Deputies search missing woman's home, take two vehicles

Very interesting. Why now? Do they now think it was not a voluntary disappearance? Have they found new info? Is it because they can not find one person who has seen her since that afternoon? If something happened at the house or involving one of the cars, ten days is a long time to clean up a crime scene and dispose of evidence.
According to CB, Kristen’s vehicle was left at the house the day she allegedly went for a walk. Don’t know if one of the seized vehicles was hers.
We now know she lived at the house with her boyfriend and “other family members”.

 

[DocBrew]

Very interesting. Why now? Do they now think it was not a voluntary disappearance? Have they found new info? Is it because they can not find one person who has seen her since that afternoon? If something happened at the house or involving one of the cars, ten days is a long time to clean up a crime scene and dispose of evidence.
According to CB, Kristen’s vehicle was left at the house the day she allegedly went for a walk. Don’t know if one of the seized vehicles was hers.
We now know she lived at the house with her boyfriend and “other family members”.

Because LE typically assumes adults to be missing voluntarily absent any direct evidence to the contrary, which really puts them behind the eight ball investigation-wise. It also potentially puts the missing person in more danger. I feel that reason should be employed in circumstances like this - rather than evidence. In other words, they should ask themselves whether it is likely that a young mother would abandon her child? Is it likely that she would leave - even if angry and/or out of sorts emotionally - and NOT contact those she isn't angry with? (Re: her loving friends/family members).

No. Not at all likely in my view. In fact, something could have occurred to her in one of those cars or in the home due to a fight about this Rhino dude, who rather conveniently became the prevailing narrative as to why she may be missing.

JMO.

 

[OldCop]

Another interesting point - CB said Kristen left with her cellphone. It is the type where you pay for minutes as you go. When he first found out she was missing and could not reach her, he loaded extra money onto it so she could call if she wanted/needed to do so. He has also said it last pinged by her home at 1:10 pm the day she went missing. If she left alive and well at 2:00 pm, why did her phone stop pinging before she left the house.

 

[DocBrew]

Another interesting point - CB said Kristen left with her cellphone. It is the type where you pay for minutes as you go. When he first found out she was missing and could not reach her, he loaded extra money onto it so she could call if she wanted/needed to do so. He has also said it last pinged by her home at 1:10 pm the day she went missing. If she left alive and well at 2:00 pm, why did her phone stop pinging before she left the house.

Because it was shut off.

And if it was shut off, then why take it with her at all if she had no intention of using it?

Hmm. My hinky meter is rising.

JMO.

 

[Gary Bumgardner]

Please help us find Kristen she is my cousin. We miss her bad and want to find her safe. This is hard because she would not ever run out on her son. Someone knows something or has seen something. Please help us find Kristen, please.

 

[insearchoflight]

Please help us find Kristen she is my cousin. We miss her bad and want to find her safe. This is hard because she would not ever run out on her son. Someone knows something or has seen something. Please help us find Kristen, please.

Do you know who was last person to see her? Who was at the house when she left? What were the circumstances that she decided to leave, was she going for a walk, got in an argument, going to a friends house, etc? Was it typical for her to not take her car, are there places she would go that are walking distance from her house? Any information will help us get started.

 

[Gary Bumgardner]

Do you know who was last person to see her? Who was at the house when she left? What were the circumstances that she decided to leave, was she going for a walk, got in an argument, going to a friends house, etc? Was it typical for her to not take her car, are there places she would go that are walking distance from her house? Any information will help us get started.

I don't know any details execpt she left upset. I just hope she is found safe soon. I don't know why she would leave her son or her car. I wish i knew more. I know that everyone loves her and misses her.

 

[thehnl]

it has been VERY hot in NC.. wonder if any significance to the reason of a long sleeve shirt over the tank top?? -- unless you planned on being gone into night for when it gets cooler, or hiding something on arms at this time of year, or maybe just simply a style?? i may be over thinking this part.

 

[cybervampira]

Carteret County Sheriff's Office

MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: August 24, 2018

Search continues for Newport woman missing since last Tuesday

NEWPORT, NC – In the effort to locate a 24-year-old Carteret County resident who was reported missing more than a week ago, detectives with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of the Hibbs Road property where Kristen, her boyfriend and family live. The search began around 8:30 am Thursday morning and continued for most of the day.

“Thursday's search of the home and surrounding area around the house is just part of something the sheriff's office does when someone has been missing as long as Bennett,” said Sheriff Asa Buck. “We are continuing to interview people, process information and follow up on leads.”

Detectives also took two vehicles from the scene to the CCSO garage, where they were examined further for evidence.

Kristen Ashley Bennett was last seen at her home around 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 14. She was wearing a blue tank top with white strips and an orange long-sleeved shirt over the tank top, blue jean shorts, and black Nike tennis shoes.

Bennett is about 5 feet, 3 inches tall. She has brown hair and blue eyes.

A command post was set up in the parking lot of the God’s City of Refuge, a neighboring church, on Hibbs Road. The staff at the church were very helpful and we thank them for their hospitality.

Investigators say people with information about Kristen’s whereabouts may contact the Carteret County Sheriff's Office at 252.728.8400 or Carteret County Communications at 252.726.1911.

###

 

[Gary Bumgardner]

Why would the search warrant be sealed? Why wait so long to look for her? Why can anyone help?

 

[DocBrew]

I don't know why she would leave her son or her car.

She almost certainly wouldn't, and the story that the folks who were with her that day are telling everyone doesn't add up at all. For example, why take her phone with her if it died 45 minutes earlier and purportedly had no minutes on it? Why put out there that she left to go be with a man named Rhino, who lives in a completely different city, when she didn't even take her car? Wouldn't she have driven there? I mean, it's not like she could call him to come pick her up on the road, because HER PHONE WAS DEAD.

And if she was upset, why not eventually get in touch with the folks who she wasn't upset with?

None of this indicates anything good, and I would be looking hard into the last folks who were with her.

And the warrant is likely sealed because it sounds like law enforcement are finally beginning to ask the same questions.

JMO.

 

[tlneedham]

Is there anywhere near there that she might have been walking to, to buy more minutes for her phone? A convenience store or something?

 

[Gary Bumgardner]

Not near a store

 

[OldCop]

I don't know any details execpt she left upset. I just hope she is found safe soon. I don't know why she would leave her son or her car. I wish i knew more. I know that everyone loves her and misses her.

Can you find out what she was upset about?

 

[CasesNeedClosing]

Gary, there have been questions wondering why Kristen would be on foot when she had a truck to drive?

Why would the search warrant be sealed? Why wait so long to look for her? Why can anyone help?

They routinely seal search warrants of active investigations like this one. That's just so they can maintain the integrity of their investigation. I'm surprised they have gotten warrants so soon though, that must mean they are taking this disappearance seriously.

 

[OldCop]

Why would the search warrant be sealed? Why wait so long to look for her? Why can anyone help?

I will try to answer a couple of your questions.
1) A search warrant or its affidavit may be sealed to protect the integrity of an investigation. This is usually for 30 days or can be extended if the investigation is ongoing. However, if an indictment is issued or an arrest is made it must be unsealed to protect the defendant’s rights.
2) Although the police will take a missing person report, they may have believed that she was voluntarily missing. Because she is an adult, she has the right to leave if she wants to. The first reports stated that she left the house on foot. There was no indication at that time that a crime had been committed. There won’t be large in depth searches unless they believe she is endangered. I have to believe that circumstances of the investigation have changed which is why they obtained search warrants and seized the vehicles.
3) People can only help if they have information to go on. This is why people in this forum have asked questions about who was home when she left, what was her mind set, who described the clothing she was wearing. Has even one person seen her since she walked out that door?
You will find the people here very willing and eager to help as much as they can. And it is free! It is important that Kristen’s family keeps this story in front of the press so it doesn’t go stale. You also need a way to get information out to people. As someone mentioned before, the family should start a Find Kristen Bennett Facebook page and keep it updated with any new info, reward info, photos and anything else that might help. This would be a central place to share information.

 

[OldCop]

Gary, there have been questions wondering why Kristen would be on foot when she had a truck to drive?


They routinely seal search warrants of active investigations like this one. That's just so they can maintain the integrity of their investigation. I'm surprised they have gotten warrants so soon though, that must mean they are taking this disappearance seriously.

You beat me to it.

 

[Vail]

Why would the search warrant be sealed? Why wait so long to look for her? Why can anyone help?

Gary I am so sorry you and your family are going through this. We can see how much you all love her.

Typically adult missing cases with starting circumstances like this one (she left upset, had her phone etc) look like voluntary missing, so LE will use the first couple weeks to do interviews, check things like cameras, cell pings, hospitals, bank activity, etc. Through the course of that work, it will usually become evident by the 10-day mark whether foul play is possible, or the person is endangered.

Please know that on this forum we will explore all possibilities and may point out facts or possibilities that are hard to face. With respect to you, we try to do this with as much love and truth as we can.

LE getting warrants for the house indicates they suspect foul play is a possibility and that Kristen never left the house. This can explain the discrepancy in times reported by her boyfriend and the phone ping, and the lack of any sightings or evidence of her actually leaving.

You can do the following to help cover all the bases:
1. Start a facebook page for Kristen such as BringKristenAshelyHome or reach out to the Missing Pieces Network or Aware Foundation for help (both on facebook)
2. Post and share info about her and her case on that page and urge everyone to share it. Share it to as many Facebook pages in Mobile as you know of - local groups, the news stations, celebrities.
3. Ensure flyers get to surrounding truck stops and share her post to TruckersAgainstTrafficking
4. Grab her closest friend and go to places she frequents and talk to people about her.
5. Walk the road from her house and try to get in her state of mind and see where it leads you. Look for things like a path cutting off into the trees etc as ways she may have gone.
6. Trust in LE. It can be so frustrating to not have details, but if they suspect a crime, they would be doing Kristen a disservice to share anything that could tip off a suspect or lost a trial.

For my part, I would like to know anything you can tell me about her boyfriend (please use initials and not his full name)

 

[OldCop]

CCSO searches home in hunt for missing woman (updated)

A little more info in this one.

 

[DocBrew]

CCSO searches home in hunt for missing woman (updated)

A little more info in this one.

Says she lives with her family, but I think I read upthread that it is not her immediate family (Mom/Dad/etc). Is this correct?