Arrest made in brutal slaying

Benson

A fugitive task force from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division searched the area Monday for a man police now believe killed a 21-year-old woman in September.

Their efforts paid off with the 3 p.m. arrest of 21-year-old Winfred Darnell Benson on Tuesday in Shelby, N.C.

Police were initially searching for Benson in connection with an aggravated assault that occurred Saturday. After further interrogation, he will be charged with murder.

Benson, of Apt. G-40, Goldmine Springs Apartments, Gaffney, is accused of murdering Keishana Knuckles on Sept. 29 inside her home at White Oaks Apartments. He is also charged with assault and battery with intent to kill in connection with a separate incident Saturday in Gaffney. Benson also faces additional charges from the Union County Sheriff’s Department.

“We are grateful that we can give the family some closure in the death of their daughter,” said Gaffney Police Chief John O’Donald, adding that he notified the family of the arrest on Tuesday.

Knuckles, of Apt. 32, White Oak Apartments, 100 White Oak Drive, Gaffney, was found strangled to death in a bathtub in the upstairs of her home on the evening of Sept. 30. The woman also suffered six or seven stab wounds, but those were not the cause of death, said Cherokee County Coroner Joe Vinesett.

Knuckles worked at No Fear Sportswear at Prime Outlets at Gaffney and attended classes at Spartanburg Technical College.

At 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Benson attacked a 21-year-old Gaffney woman by beating, kicking and strangling her after luring the girl into the basement of her home, a report at the Gaffney Police Department claims. The girl’s brother heard her screaming and pushed Benson off his sister.

The report states that Benson attacked the woman while saying “I did not kill her,” “They are coming to get me and my mom,” and, “I didn’t do it.”

According to the report about Saturday’s attack filed at the Gaffney Police Department, Benson was referring to the death of Knuckles. Both the victim of Saturday’s incident and the girl’s brother told police they believed Benson would have killed the woman if the brother had not intervened.

Additional charges may be filed in that case because the woman was six-months pregnant, O’Donald said.

Benson is accused of throwing a woman off a second-story balcony in Union County on Tuesday. The girl suffered extensive injuries, including a broken leg and arm.

Police received a tip that Benson took a cab from Union County to Shelby on Tuesday. Officers were able to locate him about 3 p.m.

“Everybody was working together and got this thing solved today,” O’Donald said, referring to the interagency support between Union County, the City of Shelby and State Law Enforcement Division agents.