Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Markia Benson was a 36-year-old woman who lived in the New Orleans Park Apartments located in the Secane neighborhood.
She worked for a local company that specialized in packaging, and on the morning of March 30, 2016, she sent her mom a text message right before she was set to show up at her job.
However, Markia never made it to work that day, which immediately worried her coworkers. A few of them decided to drive over to her place to see if she was alright.
Since her door was locked and she was not answering them, they asked the manager of the apartment building to let them into her apartment.
That’s when they discovered a horrific scene.
Markia was lying dead in her bathtub without any clothes on, and there was burning hot water running out of the faucet and all over her.
Outside of the bathroom, Markia’s apartment was a chaotic scene. Michael Chitwood, the Upper Darby Police Superintendent, said to NBC10 that, “The apartment itself was in total disarray — blood on the walls, feces on the floors, some writing on the walls.
Upper Darby Police Department; pictured above is Markia
The person who had taken Markia’s life had done so with an intense amount of anger that it shocked investigators.
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Superintendent Chitwood pointed out that whoever killed Markia had to have known her, and they had not forced their way into her apartment.
As for Markia’s cause of death, it was later determined to be due to “blunt and sharp force head injuries complicated by immersion and extensive scald burns.”
A friend of Markia’s mentioned on Reddit that authorities first questioned an ex of hers as a person of interest, but that never ended up going anywhere after his alibi checked out and his DNA was found inconclusive in regards to what was recovered from the crime scene.
“There was a creepy neighbor that she spoke with numerous people about who worked with computers or surveillance but they quickly questioned him and he moved out of the apartment the following day,” Markia’s friend said.
“He was creepy enough for her to want to move and try to avoid staying at her home.”
Markia’s friend additionally revealed that Markia’s killer could have been inside of her apartment for hours that morning, and they had to have had a key to her place since they then locked it from the outside door after leaving.
Upper Darby Police Department; pictured above Markia smiles
A day after Markia’s murder, the Upper Darby Police Department took to Facebook to plead with the public to help them with leads.
“Can we, PLEASE, as a community get justice for Markia Benson?” the Upper Darby Police Department wrote.
“We need the help of the entire region to provide us with information on the tragic end to this kind, young, professional woman.”
It’s been 6 years since Markia’s life was brutally ended, and still, her killer has yet to be caught.
“…She was a really good friend to me and she’s family,” Markia’s friend continued. “I believe that someone as good as her, did not deserve such a tragic ending and my friend truly deserves justice.”
If you have any information related to Markia’s case, the Upper Darby Police Department is asking that you call them at 610.734.7693.
Upper Darby Police Department; pictured above is a post from the police pleading for the public’s help in Markia’s case