(AmericanProsperity.com) – Most people take their trash out regularly. Usually, putting off the task isn’t a big deal, but the decision changed his life forever for one man.
Gregory Bender was the prime suspect in the murder of Patrick De La Cerda, but investigators couldn’t tie him to the crime. Cerda was engaged to Jessica Devnani, Bender’s ex-girlfriend, who initially contacted police after Bender had harassed and threatened the couple.
Investigators discover a detailed, handwritten plan for murder in suspect's wastebasket. https://t.co/AlwfCgV98H
— 48 Hours (@48hours) November 12, 2021
After obtaining a restraining order, the two didn’t hear from Bender for months — that is until Devnani received a phone call from him. Devnani didn’t answer the call but knew something was wrong and went to De La Cerda’s home, where she found him dead. Detectives had no evidence at that point that connected Bender to the crime.
Enter Bender’s ex-wife, Daymara Sanchez, who told police about some notes Bender had that depicted the murder of De La Cerda. Sanchez said that when she asked about the notes, Bender claimed they were only fantasy.
Whatever the case, police had probable cause to get a search warrant, although they didn’t expect to find the notes Sanchez described. To their surprise, on the top of the garbage in Bender’s office, there lay the notes describing the plan to kill De La Cerda. Investigators discovered other evidence tying Bender to De La Cerda’s death, such as ammo matching the shells that killed Cerda.
On May 28, 2021, the court found Bender guilty of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life without parole. To think, he would have gotten away with it if only he had taken out the trash.
~Here’s to Your Prosperity!
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