Event Brief
Oct 17, 2026 at 11:20 AM ET
Former Florida Officer Sentenced to Death
By The BriefBrief
Otto Lenke, a 67-year-old former police officer and firefighter, was sentenced to death Wednesday for the February 2021 murder of Richard Benson in Fort Pierce. A jury convicted Lenke of first-degree murder with a firearm and first-degree arson and recommended death by an 11-1 vote in May; the judge cited the killing’s cruelty and premeditation.
WHO: Otto Lenke, Richard Benson and Circuit Judge Michael Linn
WHAT: Judge Michael Linn sentenced Lenke to death for Benson’s murder and the related arson.
WHEN: Reported Oct 17, 2026 at 10:30 AM ET
WHERE: Fort Pierce, Florida
WHY: The jury convicted Lenke of first-degree murder with a firearm and first-degree arson. The judge said the killing was heinous, cruel, cold and calculated, and jurors found three aggravating factors supporting the death sentence.
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