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Family Seeks Justice After More Than 20 Years

By Amanda Raus

| Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 | Updated 7:32 AM EST

Family Seeks Justice After More Than 20 Years

Kevin Benefield, 45, is charged with murder and sexual assault in the 1986 death of Barbara Pelkey.

The man charged in the 1986 murder of Barbara Pelkey is now in Wallingford Police custody. Kevin Benefield, 45, was extradited from New York to Connecticut to face sexual assault and murder charges.

"It's like reliving it, you know what I mean, you get all those feelings back that we buried back then. We thought it was over, now we're starting all over again," said Sandra Morton, Pelkey's sister.

Morton has already been through one agonizing trial back when Kenneth Ireland was arrested for the crime. But last year, DNA evidence exonerated him and led police to Benefield. For Morton, this latest arrest has stirred up strong feelings about her sister's alleged killer.

"When I looked at him, when I found out who he was, it kind of brought out anger in me, you know what I mean, to think that he could do something like that to somebody, and to my sister, which I don't understand because she was a kind person," said Morton.

She says her family has already been through so much. Pelkey's four children had to live without their mother, and Pelkey wasn't there to see her family growing up.

"She would have been happy if she was alive now to see her grandchildren, you know. It's too bad she missed out on that," said Morton.

The family is now hoping for justice and for closure. They're hoping this whole ordeal may finally be over.

"I'm glad they found the right person, I am. I'm relieved about that. I'd like to see him get punished for what he did," said Morton.

Benefield is being held on $1 million bond and is expected to be in court in Meriden Thursday.

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