Fort Lewis soldier charged in teens death

The Army has charged a 19-year-old soldier from Indiana in the fatal drug overdose of a 16-year-old girl at a Fort Lewis barracks.

Pvt. Timothy E. Bennitt, a heavy construction equipment operator from Rolling Prairie, Ind., faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, wrongful use and distribution of controlled substances, and conspiracy to use controlled substances. He is assigned to the 555th Engineer Brigade.

The girl, Leah King, a high school sophomore from Lakewood, had been dating Bennitt for about a month, officials said. She was found dead in the barracks early on Feb. 15. Another 16-year-old girl was found unconscious and eventually recovered. Army pathologists and investigators determined that King overdosed on an antidepressant marketed as Xanax and a painkiller called oxymorphone, some of which she had apparently inhaled after the pills were crushed.

Army officials said Bennitt, 19, is also under investigation for distributing drugs to other soldiers, including oxycodone and marijuana, and taking drugs himself. If convicted of all charges he could face up to 82 years in confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a dishonorable discharge.

This video is from KOMO, broadcast Mar. 10, 2009.
RawReplay.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• oxycodone
• marijuana
• drugs
• charged
• confinement
• forfeiture
• dishonorable discharge
• Indiana
• Fort Lewis
• teen death
• barracks
• Pvt. Timothy E. Bennitt
• Rolling Prairie
• Xanax
• involuntary manslaughter

[MrsChrisErickson]

Dude shouldn't have been charged for that. Just the drugs. As for the fucking whores ugh dirty. And to all the "Lewis is wild" comments fuck off every base has a shitload of dumbasses!! Your son is probably one of them.

[MrsChrisErickson]

Soldiers! Check every bitches identification!!!! "fit in"!!??? Fucking excuses. No pity from me. Broad was stupid. Dude was stupid. Damn!! Don't make Lewis look bad wtf. Haters!

[militarygirl940]

I heard about this story, just moved here to Ft Lewis...so sad she died.

[whatanightmare1]

My son was stationed at Ft. Lewis, and it seemed to be a very wild place. He got into trouble a couple of times, but nothing like this. I think they liked to party a bit too much.

[Bullets632]

i h8 all these bs check on the barracks a soldier can justn easly do the same in a reguler household

[texagman]

@herron10d05 HELL YEAH! Speak the truth! ... fuck that slut!

[iluvclinton]

@herron10d05 your disgusting.

[JamineEatsAirplanes]

@herron10d05 How dare you say such things, do you even have a heart!

[Duckhammer]

Xanax is NOT an antidepressant. It's a tranquilizer (benzodiazepine). Hence, it's a fast-acting depressant drug, like booze or barbituates. Why do so many people have it in their head that Xanax is an antidepressant?

[herron10d05]

that girl was a fucking dirty meth head its not tims fault fuck her and any one who think its his fault