FARMERSBURG — As a new year begins, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police are renewing their call for public assistance in solving a cold case that has haunted the Farmersburg community for over four decades.
Investigators are still seeking the killer of Sarah ‘Jeanette’ Benson, 51, who was murdered inside her home on January 2, 1981.
On that Friday in 1981, Benson had spent the morning shopping in Terre Haute. Authorities believe that upon her return home, she walked in on a burglary in progress.
Witnesses at the time provided crucial details that remain the focus of the investigation today:
Neighbors reported seeing a blue sedan parked in Benson’s driveway shortly before she arrived. The car was described as having “shiny blue paint” and was possibly a Plymouth Valiant or a General Motors (GM) model.
A tall, thin white male—estimated to be in his 20s at the time—was seen exiting the vehicle and knocking on Benson’s door.
If the suspect seen at the door is still alive, investigators believe he would now be in his late 60s or early 70s. Despite a 45-year investigation that has exhausted hundreds of leads, no arrests have ever been made in the case.
The Benson family continues to hold out hope that modern forensic technology or a change in someone’s conscience will finally bring answers. They believe that even the smallest detail, which might have seemed insignificant in 1981, could be the key to breaking the case open today.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and Indiana State Police are asking anyone who lived in the area at the time, or anyone who may have heard details about the crime over the years, to come forward.
If you have any information, please contact the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post at 765-653-4114 or the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office at 812-268-4308.
