Boyfriend kills girlfriend in ‘heated argument,’ puts body in dumpster, Ohio cops say

A woman’s body has been found in a southern Ohio landfill weeks after she was reported missing, police say.

Gene Scott, 46, has now been charged in the death of his girlfriend, 40-year-old Renee Benedetti, whose body was found on Wednesday, March 8, the Columbus Division of Police announced Thursday.

Police said in a news briefing streamed by WSYX that the situation began as a missing person’s case in January. Cleveland Police Department investigators reached out to Columbus officers “about a possible homicide” involving Scott and Benedetti, according to Commander Mark Denner.

Officers learned Scott and Benedetti were seen in Columbus on Jan. 26, Denner said. Investigators at the time could not determine a homicide took place, and Benedetti was considered an “endangered missing adult” in a Feb. 1 news release.

Less than a day later, Scott was found and arrested on a weapons charge in Kentucky, Denner said.

Scott told police he was in a “heated argument” on Jan. 29 with Benedetti while in their Columbus apartment, according to WSYX.

“Mr. Scott stated that during this argument that he grabbed Miss. Benedetti by the throat with his hands, and choked her until she was motionless on the floor,” WSYX reported.

He then wrapped Benedetti’s body in a rug, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Denner said Benedetti’s body was disposed of in a dumpster in southern Ohio.

Authorities searched the Rumpke Landfill in Georgetown for more than two weeks before Benedetti’s body was discovered Wednesday, Denner said. Georgetown is about 105 miles southwest of Columbus.

Police believe Scott acted alone in the incident. He was charged with murder on Thursday, police said.

Investigators did not mention a motive for the killing.

This story was originally published March 10, 2023 at 9:39 AM.