HARRISON COUNTY, TX (KLTV) -
The body of a missing East Texas woman has been recovered by authorities.
The Harrison County Sheriff's Office recovered the body of Alicia Benefield, 19, of DeBerry, Tuesday evening. Sheriff's officials said Benefield's boyfriend, Rodris Webster, led investigators to that location.
Benefield's body was found near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 31 and Elysian Fields Road in Marshall. Authorities are still conducting an investigation at the scene.
Benefield was last seen driving along Highway 31 into Panola County around 1 a.m. Friday. She had been escorted away from a party early Friday morning by sheriff's deputies. Harrison County authorities say she had been asked to leave the party.
Her car was found about four hours later parked at DeBerry Baptist Church.
On Sunday, investigators found a muddy hoodie and keys in a dumpster behind the Food Mart off of I-20 in Waskom. Investigators confirmed the hoodie belongs to her boyfriend, Rodris Webster. The keys were determined to be Benefield's.
The Harrison County Sheriff's Office identified Rodris Webster, 25, as a person of interest in the disappearance. He was questioned for several hours by Harrison County Sheriff's Deputies Monday, but was later released.
Family members have said Webster and Benefield had a
violent relationship. Webster had been arrested at least once before, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was released from jail March 5, after Benefield dropped the charge.
Harrison County Sheriff's Office Public Information Office Jay Webb says Webster was arrested on January 5 on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The complaint that led to that charge was filed by Benefield. Webster remained in the Harrison County Jail until March 5, when Benefield dropped the charge.
Webster was booked into the Harrison County Jail Tuesday night on a charge of murder related to the death of Alicia Benefield and a charge of felon in possession of a firearm. His bond has been set at $1.015 million.
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Alicia Benefield (Source: Harrison County Sheriff's Office)
Rodris Webster in a mugshot from a previous arrest (Source: Harrison County Sheriff's Office)
