For more than nine years, the killing of Harry Bennett on Johns Island went unsolved. On Tuesday, Charleston police say new DNA evidence finally led them to a suspect.
Henry James Brisbane, 69, of Charleston, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and charged in Bennett’s death, according to the Charleston Police Department.
Found stabbed inside his apartment
Bennett was found dead inside his Johns Island apartment on Aug. 20, 2017. Detectives determined he had been stabbed multiple times.
During the original investigation, detectives interviewed several people. Police say Brisbane was one of them, but the case went cold without an arrest.
What broke the case open
Earlier this year, detectives and the department’s Forensic Services Division took a fresh look at the case. During that review, they found additional evidence that had not been analyzed before and sent it for testing.
According to police, the DNA results linked Brisbane to the crime scene. That match gave investigators the break they needed to make an arrest.
Police have not said what the evidence was, what may have led to the killing, or how Brisbane and Bennett knew each other.
Charges
Brisbane is charged with:
- Murder
- Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime
Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker said he hopes the arrest brings the Bennett family some closure, and that it shows the department will keep working cases “regardless of how much time has passed.”
The charges are accusations, and Brisbane is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
How to share information
Anyone with information about the case can call the Charleston Police Department at 843-720-2422 and ask for the on-duty Central Detective, or submit a tip online at charleston-sc.gov/tips.
Source: Charleston Police Department, as reported by ABC News 4
