Flurry of motions delays Gladstone cop’s murder trial

OREGON CITY, Ore. (KOIN) – Opening statements in the trial of former Gladstone Police Sgt. Lynn Benton, accused of conspiring to successfully kill his wife, were delayed just hours before they were scheduled.

The judge dismissed the jury for the rest of the day to deal with a flurry of pre-trial motions. The trial is now set to begin Wednesday morning.

The case

Debbie Higbee-Benton was found dead inside her beauty salon on May 28, 2011.

Court documents allege that Benton conspired with his close friend Susan Campbell and her son Jason Jaynes to kill Benton’s wife, Higbee-Benton. Lynn Benton is being held at the Clackamas County Jail pending the resolution of his aggravated murder trial.

Initially, a deputy medical examiner thought the death was the result of a heart attack. An autopsy later showed Higbee-Benton had been shot and beaten.

Campbell admitted to shooting and killing Higbee-Benton and then leaving the salon, according to court documents. Jaynes is accused of going to his salon after his mother left and finishing the job by beating Higbee-Benton.

Court documents revealed that detectives believe Benton was motivated to have his wife killed because he feared she was going to come forward with allegations of domestic abuse. Had those allegations been proven, Benton’s career in law enforcement would have ended.

Benton turned to his close friend Campbell because, years before the murder, Campbell’s son, Jaynes, was identified as a rape suspect. The police report that was delivered to the Clackamas County DA’s Office never arrived. Police now believe Benton tried to cover up Jaynes’ involvement in the rape and failed to hand over the report.

By not turning over the report, Benton felt as if Campbell and Jaynes owed him, according to court documents.

Benton was born female but transitioned and identifies as male.