A former Florida police officer will be executed after he was found guilty of shooting his romantic rival three times before burning him alive.
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he → execute → him
Otto Lenke, 67, was sentenced to death on Wednesday at the St. Lucie County Courthouse for brutally killing mechanic Richard Benson, 57, on February 17, 2021.
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Lenke → sentence → February
Circuit Court Judge Michael Linn wrote in his sentencing order that Lenke 'executed a cold and calculated plan' to murder Benson 'in one of the most heinous, atrocious, and cruel ways imaginable,' Law & Crime reported.
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Law → write → ways
The judge's order detailed how Lenke drove 40 minutes to Fast Frank's Cycle Concepts, a motorcycle repair shop that Benson owned in Fort Pierce, about 130 miles north of Miami.
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Benson → detail → Miami
He then waited for about 20 minutes before going up to Benson and shooting him in the back at almost point-blank range.
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He → wait → range
After shooting Benson three times, Lenke poured two containers of denatured alcohol over him while he was still moving and lit him on fire.
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he → shoot → fire
Prosecutors argued that Lenke's motive for killing Benson was jealousy, as the latter was dating a woman, Lisa Diggs, who he had previously been in a relationship with.
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he → argue → relationship
Benson's girlfriend identified Lenke in surveillance footage of the murder thanks to his 'particular walk,' his stomach, and black motorcycle helmet.
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girlfriend → identify → walk
Former Florida police officer Otto Lenke, 67, was sentenced to death on Wednesday over the first degree murder of Richard Benson, 57, in 2021
Prosecutors argued Lenke killed Benson (left) because he was jealous that the latter was dating Lisa Diggs (right), who he had previously been in a relationship with
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he → sentence → relationship
The murder was captured by surveillance cameras, which caught Lenke entering the shop, killing Benson and exiting
Linn said Lenke's sentence was 'appropriate' and 'just' for the first degree murder of Benson.
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sentence → capture → Benson
Lenke had been convicted of first-degree murder in May by a jury, who recommended the death penalty in an 11-1 vote.
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who → convict → vote
When Benson was found dead, investigators discovered three spent shell casings and two empty cans of denatured alcohol near the door.
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investigators → find → door
Surveillance footage also caught the moments Lenke entered the shop, killed Benson and later left.
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Lenke → catch → Benson
Lenke had removed the license tag from his car before carrying out the murder, according to the sentencing order.
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Lenke → remove → order
He wore the helmet and gloves before heartlessly killing Benson at the motorcycle shop, pulling him back in as he tried to reach towards the door.
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he → wear → door
Benson's girlfriend, Diggs, told investigators in 2021 that she had known Lenke for 10 years.
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she → tell → years
Diggs said she befriended Lenke after losing her husband to cancer seven years before that, according to Treasure Coast News.
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she → say → News
Benson, 57, was brutally gunned down by Lenke at the motorcycle repair shop he owned in Fort Pierce
Lenke had already been convicted of first-degree murder in May by a jury.
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Lenke → gun → jury
Prosecutors claimed his motive was jealousy
Benson was dating a woman that Lenke had previously seen, though the girlfriend said that her relationship with the latter was only platonic leading up to the murder
Diggs testified in the trial that ended up with Lenke receiving a death sentence for murdering Benson
The grieving girlfriend told authorities that Lenke carried a gun everywhere.
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Lenke → claim → gun
Lenke's affection was so much that he had built Diggs a wooden boat, which he delivered on January 19.
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he → build → January
As he did so, Benson called Diggs, which caused Lenke to become emotional, per the reported order.
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Lenke → do → order
Lenke then asked Diggs 'why she did not love him and asked if it was because she was seeing someone.'
Prosecutors argued that set Lenke off and eventually resulted in him murdering Benson.
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him → ask → Benson
Diggs said their relationship had once very briefly been romantic, but was platonic before the killing.
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relationship → say → killing
She testified in the trial.
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She → testify → trial
The jury panel that convicted Benson was made up of seven women and five men.
Assistant State Attorney Brandon White, who prosecuted Lenke, praised the death sentence as he recalled the heinous murder.
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he → convict → murder
'I remember being in a room with the Indian River County Sheriff's detectives, probably with over 100 years of combined experience, and their jaws dropped when they saw this video because it was probably one of the most heinous things we've ever seen,' White told Treasure Coast News.
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White → remember → News
Authorities said that Lenke drove 40 minutes to the motorcycle repair shop owned by Benson before shooting him three times and effectively burning him alive
Lenke was jailed two days after Benson's death once investigators linked him to the crime.
The Pontiac Bonneville seen near the shop matched a car that was registered to Lenke but primarily used by his daughter.
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that → say → daughter
Evidence obtained through a search warrant showed Lenke's phone was at home when Benson was murdered.
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Benson → obtain → home
Search warrant evidence showed Lenke's cellphone was at his residence when the murder occurred
However, the phone started moving afterwards and was tracked to a shoreline area of the Indian River Lagoon near Sebastian.
Authorities recovered a .40-caliber Glock firearm from the lagoon which was consistent with the murder weapon.
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which → show → weapon
Records did not identify who had purchased the secondhand firearm.
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who → identify → firearm
Though Lenke has been sentenced, his case still has to be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court under state law.
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case → sentence → law
The Daily Mail has reached out to White and Lenke's attorney, Robert Bruton, for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment
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