Steven Wayne Benson[1] (July 26, 1951 – July 3, 2015) was an American convicted double murderer of his mother, tobacco heiress Margaret Benson, and his brother (actually his nephew but later adopted), tennis player Scott Benson.[2] Margaret Hitchcock Benson was heiress of the Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co., Lancaster, Pa., and had no connection with Benson & Hedges brand cigarettes manufactured in the US by Philip Morris.
On July 9, 1985, Benson placed a pipe bomb in the family car, in which Margaret, Scott, and Steven's sister, Carol Lynn Benson Kendall (a former Miss Florida runner-up), were waiting for Benson to join them when the Chevrolet Suburban exploded.[3] Kendall survived but was badly burned; Margaret and Scott died instantly from the bomb blast. Represented by attorney Michael McDonnell, Steven Benson was ultimately convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and arson of a dwelling.[4] He avoided the death penalty, and was sentenced to two life terms in prison.[5][6] Over the course of his sentence, Benson was transferred to various prisons because of constant threats and abuse from other inmates.[7]
Benson died at Taylor Correctional Institution in Perry, Florida of a stab wound to the right side of the head with a homemade knife on July 3, 2015.[8][9] Benson was in a long running feud with Cordell Washington, another inmate at the facility. The feud went back to at least 2012 after a series of assaults by Washington. Inmates told investigators that Washington planned to extort $1,000 from Benson within days after arriving at Taylor Correctional Institution. When Benson refused to pay, Washington and another man, identified as Marvin Taylor, ambushed and shanked Benson.[10] Washington was charged with murder for killing Benson, but was acquitted.[11]
