COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man suspected of killing his girlfriend and dumping her body in southern Ohio was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury.
Gene Scott, 46, is charged with two counts of murder and one count each of aggravated murder, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse.
The charges come after the body of 40-year-old Renee Benedetti was found at the Rumpke landfill in Brown County last week.
Columbus Police Commander Mark Denner said the Cleveland Division of Police reached out to Columbus police on Jan. 31 about a possible homicide that occurred involving Scott and Benedetti. Denner did not disclose additional information from Cleveland police.
Columbus police were not able to confirm that a homicide happened, but could confirm that Benedetti was seen in Columbus on Jan. 26. Officers filed a missing person report on Feb. 1 and sent out an endangered missing person media release.
Scott was found in Kentucky 18 hours later, according to Denner. He was taken into custody and charged with weapons under disability.
Scott remained in custody in Kentucky before being extradited to Columbus.
Records from the Franklin County Municipal Court show that Scott told police that during a heated argument inside their apartment on Arbor Village Drive on Jan. 29, he grabbed Benedetti by the throat and choked her until she was motionless on the floor.
Records say he then wrapped her body in a rug and disposed of her body in southern Ohio. Police said it was believed her body was placed in a dumpster.
Columbus police partnered with the Rumpke organization and began searching a landfill facility in southern Ohio on Feb. 20. The search lasted two and a half weeks before they found a woman’s body, later confirmed as Benedetti.