Tragic End for Accused Kidnapper and Murderer in Michigan

Important Update A man awaiting trial for kidnapping and murdering a teenage girl in Michigan has tragically passed away due to medical complications. Gerald Bennett, a 63-year-old from Detroit, was undergoing cancer treatment after being admitted to the hospital on November 7. Unfortunately, his health declined rapidly, and he was placed on life support until his death on Monday. Bennett had been found competent to stand trial last year in connection with the abduction of Mujey Dumbuya, a 16-year-old girl. The devastating incident took place in January 2018 when Dumbuya was abducted from a bus stop. Her partially clothed body was later discovered in the woods of Kalamazoo, approximately 50 miles southeast of her home in Grand Rapids. The cause of death was identified as strangulation. According to U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, Dumbuya's accused kidnapper, Quinn James, had allegedly enlisted Bennett's help in carrying out the horrific crime. Although James was convicted and received a life sentence in April 2019, Bennett was ruled incompetent to stand trial and the charges against him were dismissed in March 2022. However, the case was later taken over by federal authorities, and Bennett was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022. He faced charges related to murder for hire resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, kidnapping of a minor victim, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence. Sadly, these allegations will now go unresolved due to Bennett's passing. While mourning the loss of the opportunity to present evidence against Bennett in court, U.S. Attorney Totten expressed his regret, acknowledging that justice can only be partially served in this situation. The memory of Mujey Dumbuya will forever remind us of the importance of seeking truth and holding accountable those responsible for heinous crimes.