Former Police Officer Sentenced to dєatᩚh After 𝘬iᩚlling Romantic Rival in Horrific Motorcycle Shop Attack

A former police officer and firefighter in Florida has been sentenced to dєatᩚh for murdering a motorcycle shop owner in a calculated attack prosecutors linked to jealousy over a woman they had both been involved with.

Otto Lenke, 67, was sentenced on October 14, 2026, for the February 2021 𝘬iᩚlling of Richard Benson, 57, at Fast Frank’s motorcycle shop in Fort Pierce, Florida.

According to court records, Lenke shot Benson three times before pouring highly flammable alcohol over him and setting him on fire while he was still alive. Prosecutors presented surveillance footage of the attack during the trial, detailing how Benson attempted to reach the shop’s exit but was repeatedly prevented from escaping.

Investigators said the motive centered on Lisa Diggs, a woman Lenke had previously dated who was later in a relationship with Benson. The two men had known each other through their connection to Diggs.

Court documents describe an encounter in January 2021 in which Lenke reportedly questioned Diggs about why she did not love him and whether she was seeing someone else. Prosecutors argued that the interaction helped explain the motive behind the 𝘬iᩚlling weeks later.

On the morning of the murder, Lenke allegedly removed the license plate from a vehicle, drove to the shop and waited before entering with a handgun and containers of denatured alcohol. Investigators recovered surveillance recordings that captured the attack and helped establish the sequence of events.

Diggs also helped identify Lenke in the footage, reportedly recognizing his distinctive walk and motorcycle helmet.

A jury convicted Lenke of first-degree murder with a firearm and first-degree arson in May 2026. Jurors recommended the dєatᩚh penalty in an 11-to-1 vote, and Circuit Judge Michael Linn subsequently imposed the sentence.

The judge described the 𝘬iᩚlling as a carefully planned crime marked by extreme cruelty. Prosecutors said Lenke’s previous law-enforcement experience was relevant to the planning of the attack.

The case is not yet legally final. Florida law requires the state Supreme Court to review dєatᩚh sentences, and Lenke is expected to appeal.

For Benson’s family, the sentencing marks a major development in a case that began with his 𝘬iᩚlling inside the business he owned. The legal process, however, will continue as the conviction and dєatᩚh sentence undergo further review.

Source:  dailymail