Gary Bentley Murder –Season 8, episode 11 of the crime series American Monster on Investigation Discovery is called “Friends Outside of Work,” explores an unfortunate shooting incident that resulted in the death of a wealthy electrician living in Louisville, Kentucky, in December 2017. Thanks to tips provided by family and friends and additional evidence uncovered during the crime scene investigation, the police quickly apprehended those responsible. I can provide further details regarding their identities and current locations if interested.
Gary Bentley Murder Story
Gary Wayne Bentley was born on August 31st, 1984, to Gerald and Lisa Bentley of Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. An enthusiastic hunter, fisherman, and the University of Kentucky Wildcats supporter, Gary pursued a career as an electrician and joined IEBW 369. At the age of 23, Gary met Tasha, who was one year older than him. According to Amy Bentley, Gary’s mother, he had an easygoing personality compared to Tasha’s assertive temperament. After a six-year courtship, they eventually wed in September 2012.
Lisa Bentley, Gary’s mother, fondly recalls her son’s love of nature and outdoor activities, such as collecting firearms and fishing equipment. Gary and Tasha welcomed their daughter, Easton Lyric Bentley, three months after their wedding. Lisa remembers this time fondly, noting their intuitive parenting and dedicated partnership. Tasha often allowed Gary to take the lead while she focused on caring for their daughter. According to Gerald Bentley, Gary’s father, his dedication to his son played an enormous part in shaping his adult life.
Gary’s close friend, Kevin Day, noted just how much Gary cherished his family. Living comfortably in their spacious home with a luxury car, they enjoyed life to the fullest. Therefore, it was quite a shock when Tasha called Gerald on December 10, 2017, expressing concerns about her husband not responding to phone calls and finding the garage open. Upon her return home, she became fearful of entering their house. Their three dogs warmly received Gerald upon his arrival.
Gerald attempted to reach his son, Gary but received no reply. While searching the house, Gerald discovered Gary’s lifeless body lying in his bedroom. Tragically, a bullet had struck Gary in the back of the head, leading to his demise. Terrified, Gerald immediately called emergency services (911). When emergency officers arrived, they discovered Gary’s body with one shell casing near where it lay on his bed. Police sources reported that he had been shot while sleeping, facing away from the entrance. Although there were no signs of a break-in or forced entry, all the firearms that were accounted for were reported missing by the police.
The incident left a lasting impact, prompting the police to investigate this tragic crime.
Investigation and Arrest
From the outset, authorities strongly suspected that Gary Bentley’s murder had been committed by someone familiar with his household. The lack of noise from Gary’s dogs and no reports from neighbors concerning any disturbance indicated that Gary slept through barking noises and failed to wake up in time to avoid being shot. Therefore, investigators naturally focused on Tasha Bentley, Gary’s wife, as they launched their inquiry.
During their investigation, detectives quickly realized that Tasha Bentley’s marriage had its share of imperfections. Her more confident personality differed significantly from that of her husband. Work-related stressors had led to disagreements at home and arguments between Tasha and her husband during an extended vacation trip to Jamaica with close family friends. Tasha found temporary relief with her new job but eventually fell into a downward spiral again.
Tasha’s family and friends noticed something amiss when she started missing weekends and staying out late more frequently than usual. Concerned, Gerald attempted to express his worries to Gary, but Gary repeatedly assured his father that everything was fine between himself and Tasha. Things finally reached a breaking point in 2017 when Tasha appeared desperate to avoid spending Thanksgiving with her in-laws.
On this occasion, Tasha left the family dinner, claiming she needed to go shopping, only to return late that night without making any purchases on Black Friday. Later that night, she confided in her mother-in-law, expressing her fears for Gary’s safety in the week following Thanksgiving. However, Gary seemed unaffected. Shortly thereafter, the police initiated their murder investigation. They received an important call from Tasha’s best friend, Amy Day, who is married to Gary’s friend Kevin. This couple had previously travelled together to Jamaica.
Amy’s call gave investigators a significant lead: Tasha was planning to divorce Gary. She had met Anthony at work, and by mid-January 2018, she had begun making plans to separate. Detectives discovered that just four days before Gary was murdered, Tasha took out a $1 million life insurance policy using Gary’s electronic signature as approval. When the police discovered evidence implicating Tasha in his murder, they conducted interviews.
Prosecution of Tasha Bentley in Gary Bentley Murder
During her initial interview on December 11, Tasha initially denied any knowledge regarding Gary’s murder. However, under subsequent questioning from the police, she eventually admitted to having an extramarital affair with Anthony at work. Tasha confessed that she was responsible for Gary’s killing when the authorities informed her that they could potentially lose custody of their son. She claimed that Gary had physically abused their child to justify her actions. However, court documents indicate that no proof was ever found to support these allegations of mistreatment by Gary.
Searches of Anthony’s sister’s residence led to the recovery of Gary’s stolen firearms. However, both Anthony and his brother were later cleared of any involvement due to providing convincing alibis and supporting evidence that proved their innocence. Tasha eventually admitted to killing her husband and was consequently sentenced to 55 years of incarceration at the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women at the age of 40. According to prison records, her earliest potential parole date listed is 2037, and her sentence will conclude by 2072.
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