A man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing his roommate in the Springdale community of Prince George’s County, Maryland, last year.
Richard Bennaugh was found guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of Domonique Scott Hayes, aged 27.
Many of Scott Hayes’ family members were in court Friday as Bennaugh’s sentence was announced. Some of them were shaking and crying.
Prosecutors claim Bennaugh fatally shot Scott Hayes inside the townhome they shared. He said he shot his roommate in self-defense and told investigators that he was asleep on the couch when Scott Hayes woke him up and repeatedly demanded where the TV remote was.
Bennaugh stated Scott Hayes was brandishing two knives and attempted to charge at him, so he opened fire.
According to court filings, Bennaugh continued to shoot even after his roommate attempted to flee.
Bennaugh informed detectives that he went back to sleep following the gunshot. He claimed he got up later that day and drove to a marijuana store in D.C. and a tobacco shop in Landover. When he went home, he said he smoked marijuana and flushed the shot shells while calling pals, who advised him to call 911.
Police responding to Bennaugh’s 911 call discovered Scott Hayes’ body face down in his bedroom, with one knife in each hand and a third in his waistband. Investigators also discovered several discharged rounds and a container of bleach.
Leave a Comment