Federal officials revealed on Tuesday that Gerald Bennett, a Detroit man accused of kidnapping and murdering 16-year-old Mujey Dumbuya from West Michigan in 2018, passed away on November 13 due to medical complications. Bennett, 63, had been undergoing cancer treatment since November 7.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, conveyed regret over the situation, stating that Bennett’s death occurred almost a week after his hospital admission. The 63-year-old was awaiting trial on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, kidnapping of a minor victim, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.
Had Bennett been convicted on either count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death or kidnapping resulting in death, he would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison. However, with his passing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed the dismissal of the pending case.
Totten expressed deep regret, acknowledging the heinous nature of the allegations. He stated, “The allegations in this case were heinous, and I deeply regret we will never present the evidence against Mr. Bennett in open court. At best, our efforts can secure only a measure of justice. We can’t bring Mujey back. But the truth-telling role of a conviction matters. I am grateful for the investigators who worked for years to secure justice, and my heart remains with her family as they mourn the loss of one they dearly loved.”
According to Totten, Mujey Dumbuya, a high-school student, had accused Quinn James of sexual assault in 2017 when she was 15. Upon learning of the criminal complaint, James allegedly enlisted Bennett’s help to kidnap and murder Dumbuya, who was 16 at the time. The communication between the two men spanned several weeks leading up to Dumbuya’s abduction from a bus stop on January 24, 2018.
Dumbuya’s lifeless body was discovered days later in a wooded area in Kalamazoo. Both James and Bennett faced charges in state court for her murder, with James convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
