Victims’ families donating reward fund from 1993 cold case murders back to community
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Warminster, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Nearly 30 years ago, a Bucks County community raised tens of thousands of dollars for a reward fund. They hoped it would help solve the murder of two young men.
Sadly, it didn’t, but now that money will do good in the community.
The families of Bryan Benson and Seann Campbell are still searching for answers almost three decades after their sons were taken from them.
“It never goes away. It’s with us every day,” said Janice Benson, Bryan’s mother.
The men, both 20 at the time, were working together at the old West Coast Video rental store in the Rosemore Shopping Center in Warminster back in 1993. They were closing up shop at the time when they were fatally stabbed.
“No matter what, there will never been any closure. You don’t close something like that,” Benson said.
Speaking exclusively to Eyewitness News, Benson’s parents say a reward fund was created shortly after as a way to help catch the killer. But the case is still unsolved.
So now, the victims’ families are donating the unused reward money of more than $60,000 to the Warminster Rotary Club.
“We were able to find a way to help them find an organization that can handle that type of donation and put it to use immediately in the local community,” said Warminster Rotary Club Treasurer Sean Friedland.
One of those organizations that received part of the money is the Warminster Food Bank. It purchased a big industrial freezer that’s going to allow it to offer healthier frozen foods to those in need.
“I wish the family would have gotten their justice and their closure based on the original intent of the fund. But we’re very grateful,” said Mike Cerino with the Warminster Food Bank.
Part of the reward fund is also going to other food banks, as well as the Hopes and Dreams Foundation to help disadvantaged youth.
“It’s been a long time, but it’s time for it to go back to the community, the people that put it there in the first place,” Benson said.
“We wanted it to see it help the community that supported us,” Bonnie Youngers said. “It’s getting it to the right people to do the right thing.”
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