LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been sentenced to life in prison for a 2016 double murder.
According to Gregg County judicial records, Dustin Bennett, 39, of Longview, was sentenced Thursday in the 188th District Court of Judge David Brabham.
In April 2016, Bennett, along with Craig Davison, 52, and Patricia Baker, 21, were arrested in connection with the murders of DeKeilen Nelson, 20, of Gilmer, and Kevin Stephenson, 28, of Henderson, whose bodies were found riddled with gunshot wounds near the railroad tracks in Longview on March 23, 2016.
According to the arrest affidavit, Nelson and Stephenson were killed because Davison believed they had stolen either drugs or property from him. The two men were lured to Davison’s house, tied up with zip-ties and later taken to an area near the railroad tracks.
Police say Bennett gave two accounts about the deaths of the men.
In one interview, Bennett stated he and Davison intended to "just scare the men" and leave them at the train tracks. However, on the way to the location, Bennett said he tripped and accidently fired the gun, hitting Stephenson in the back of the head. He then shot Stephenson again, as well as Nelson. Bennett stated Davison then grabbed the rifle and shot three or four more rounds at the two men.
In a separate interview, Bennett stated he left Nelson and Stephenson with Davison at the railroad tracks, then heard “approximately six gunshots” as he was walking back to Nelson’s car.
Davison and Baker remain in the Gregg County Jail on aggravated kidnapping charges. Their bonds were set $2,000,000 each.
