Prosecutor: Ex-cop had career, monetary motives to kill wife

GLADSTONE, Ore. — A former Gladstone police sergeant had his wife killed because he was afraid he could lose his job if she disclosed domestic abuse allegations, and he knew he would benefit financially from her death, Clackamas County prosecutors said Wednesday.

Lynn Benton has been charged with aggravated murder, solicitation to commit aggravated murder, criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and attempted murder in connection with the death of Debbie Higbee Benton, who was found dead in her beauty salon in May 2011.

The former sergeant is accused of conspiring with his friend Susan Campbell and her son, Jason Jaynes, to kill Higbee Benton, and offering them $2,000 in exchange, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

Prosecutors said Benton helped Campbell get a cleaning job in the salon and made a plan for her to shoot Higbee Benton there and take cash to make it look like a robbery.

Instead, Campbell panicked after shooting her once and she didn’t die, prosecutors said. Campbell called Benton at the police department and fled. Benton and Jaynes then went to the salon and the sergeant watched as Jaynes beat and strangled Higbee Benton, police and court documents said.

The couple had problems after Benton, who was born a female, began transitioning to male. Higbee Benton was initially supportive, but that changed when Benton started becoming more aggressive and violent toward her, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Wentworth said.