A St. Lucie County jury is expected to get the case Friday in the murder trial of former police officer and firefighter Otto Lenke, accused of killing Fort Pierce motorcycle-shop owner Richard Benson in 2021. Prosecutors have told the court they will seek the death penalty if Lenke is convicted, putting capital punishment squarely on the table for jurors.
Lenke faces first-degree murder and arson charges in the February 2021 death of 57-year-old Benson inside his motorcycle shop, Fast Frank’s, according to WPTV. Prosecutors this week played graphic surveillance footage from inside the shop, calling it critical to their case.
Surveillance Footage and Prosecutors' Case
Prosecutors say the video appears to show a helmeted figure walk into the shop, shoot Benson, then pour a flammable liquid over him before starting a fire. During closing arguments they argued the killing was carried out to cause "as much fear and pain" as possible, as reported by CBS12.
Defense Pushes Back
The defense countered that the state has not proven Lenke is the person in the video and argued that the surveillance images are far from conclusive. "Not only is Otto presumed not guilty, he is in fact not guilty," defense attorney Masters told jurors. Court documents show Lenke told detectives he was not in Fort Pierce on the day of the killing and did not know Benson, according to CBS12.
Background and Community Response
Lenke was arrested after investigators received tips and reviewed surveillance images that led them to a suspect. Detectives said in 2021 they believed the killing was driven by a personal motive involving relationships, according to WPBF. Friends and family later gathered at the charred remains of Fast Frank’s for a vigil, where neighbors remembered Benson as a longtime mechanic and a fixture in the community, WPTV reported.
What Comes Next
Court staff and a CBS12 news crew are set to return Friday as jurors begin deliberating. A verdict could come as early as Friday or after several days, depending on how long the panel debates the evidence. If jurors convict, the case would move into a sentencing phase where prosecutors plan to seek death, rather than the lifetime prison term that typically follows first-degree murder and arson convictions in Florida.
