Murder in Lansdowne

An attack on a middle-aged Potomac Station couple left a man dead, abandoned on the side of Riverside Parkway, and his wife clinging to life in a wooded area across the road.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office was called to the Lansdowne area at approximately 5:30 a.m. after one resident of Rocky Creek Drive reported suspicious activity—a white panel van with several occupants was seen twice traveling down Rocky Creek Drive, circling around Riverside Parkway and stopping.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area within a few minutes, but were unable to locate the van. However during a routine search of the area, deputies located the body of William Bennett, 59, of Potomac Station—whose residence is located within a mile of the crime scene. Bennett’s body was found only feet from Riverside Parkway at the entrance of a gravel service road.

Instituting a search of the immediate area, deputies located another troubling sign as the sun began to rise. Across the road, deputies spotted a blood stain on the white picket fence surrounding a wooded area near Goose Creek. Investigating officers then located Bennett’s wife Cynthia, 55. Cynthia Bennett was still alive in a gulley past the fence. Critically wounded, her injuries required an airlift from the scene. Cynthia Bennett is still in critical condition and the Sheriff’s Office has been unable to interview her regarding the attack.

The motive for the attack is still unknown. It could be a case of random violence or it could be a case with an as yet unknown motive. The incident could have begun on Riverside Parkway, inside the vehicle reported by local residents or even at another location. It is still too soon to tell.

“If it truly is random, that degree of violence is tremendously concerning,” said Loudoun Sheriff Steve Simpson and a press conference on Monday.

While the medical examiner has yet to return his findings, both Bennetts appear to have been the victims of severe blunt force trauma—inconsistent with being hit by a car. According to Sheriff Simpson, there does not appear to have been a firearm involved in the attack.

When found, William Bennett was wearing a black and gray jogging suit. He and his wife were in the routine of walking or jogging in the neighborhood in the early morning. The couple lived less than a mile away from where they were found. Although it is not certain, Sheriff Simpson said that the attack “appears to be random.”

Initially, police were unable to identify the two victims of the crime. Identification was finally made through William Bennett’s fingerprints, submitted to the Sheriff’s Office when Bennett applied for a Permit to Carry a Concealed Weapon.

The Bennetts are the parents of two adult children, both of whom have been notified of their father’s death and their mother’s condition.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, at least three persons are believed to have been involved in the murder. Eyewitnesses report having seen three individuals in dark clothes, one more heavy set than the other two. The vehicle is described as a white van without windows on the side. There have been no reports of writing on the side or any commercial attachments. No tag number was identified.

The description of a “white box truck” is unnerving for DC Metropolitan area residents as a similar description was also incorrectly made as the vehicle involved in the Beltway Sniper case of 2002. While later determined to be a false lead, a search of a commercial vehicle of this type was the cause of paranoia and fruitless pursuit before the apprehension of John Allen Mohammed and Lee Malvo.

Naturally, neighborhood residents remain concerned about a homicide occurring on their doorstep—potentially one with no motive. One resident told the Loudoun Independent that it had been a hard few nights for her. Her 13-year-old daughter woke her up numerous times during the night, haven awoken frightened and much less secure in her suburban neighborhood.

While cautioning residents to travel in pairs during the evening and urging everyone to carry identification and a cell phone, Simpson admitted that “I don’t see anything they did wrong here except being at the wrong place and the wrong time.”

Speaking with members of the community, Simpson urged caution and assured them that there would be a markedly increased police presence in the area. In regards to the investigation into the attack on William and Cynthia Bennett, he promised community members that his deputies and investigators would be working around the clock to locate those responsible. 

Anyone who may be a witness to suspicious activity in the area or who may know the identity of the victims should contact the Sheriff¹s Office at 703-777-0475. Anonymous callers are encouraged to contact Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000.