Family seeks help after suspicious death of Sacramento woman found along Florin Road
The family of Michelle Benavidez and a few dozen volunteers posted about 1,000 flyers Thursday asking for the public’s help in the investigation of the woman’s suspicious death.
Her body was found near a light rail station in Sacramento’s Meadowview neighborhood nearly two weeks ago and Rachel Benavidez still has few details regarding the death of her 30-year-old daughter.
“It’s hard for me to believe that nobody saw anything,” the mother told The Sacramento Bee. “If this was anybody else’s family member, Michelle would be out there helping to find out what happened.”
Benavidez’s family thinks her body might have been disposed of in the area before she was found. They suspect foul play was involved in her death.
Sacramento Police Department homicide detectives have been working with coroner officials investigating the death. But police have declined to discuss any specific details about the case.
“This remains an active investigation and in order to protect the integrity of the case we are unable to confirm specific details at this time,” Officer Karl Chan, a police spokesman, said to The Bee in an email Wednesday. “There is no suspect information to provide at this time.”
Sacramento County Coroner Kimberly Gin said on Wednesday that authorities had not yet confirmed the manner or cause of Benavidez’s death. Gin also said an autopsy has been conducted and officials are awaiting toxicology results as part of the investigation.
Benavidez’s mother last spoke to her daughter on a phone call the night before her body was discovered. She said her daughter was having problems with her cellphone.
“She was going to charge her phone and call me back,” Rachel Benavidez said. “But I never heard back from her.”
She has no idea what might have led to her daughter’s death or who might have been involved. Her family says the young, single woman with no children was well-liked and had no ongoing disputes with anyone.
“I know it’s real. I’m not in denial,” Rachel Benavidez said. “But there are times I think I’m going to wake up from a dream or a nightmare. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Family seeks information near Florin Road light rail station
Paula Gardner, Michelle Benavidez’s aunt, organized Thursday’s event for family, friends and volunteers. They gathered near the Florin Station about 6:30 p.m., each person with a small stack of flyers that included a photo of Benavidez, a map of the location her body was found and phone numbers for tipsters to call.
“I’m so appreciative. I can’t believe so many people showed up and so many more are coming,” Gardner said Thursday before family members and others started their walk along Florin Road. “I think this is going to help capture the suspect or suspects. And if we need to, we’ll come back out here next week and do the same thing.”
She said her niece was loving, very loyal and curious. But Gardner said her niece was also “book smart and street smart.”
“If someone did this to her, I don’t see her going down without a fight,” Gardner said. “I feel someone must’ve seen or heard something.”
Gardner said her niece lived with roommates in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood. She was unemployed, but she’d worked as a waitress at different IHOP resturants throughout Sacramento. Her aunt said she once worked two years at an IHOP in South Lake Tahoe. She was still trying to find where her life would take her.
“I think she was just trying to be her and just live,” Gardner said.
Benavidez’s family is asking anyone who was in the area of the light rail station that day to come forward with any information they have. They say even a small detail could lead to a break in the investigation. Some might be reluctant to get involved or fear reprisals, but Gardner said Benavidez was a real person with a grieving family wanting answers.
“We need to help each other, instead of being against each other,” Gardner said.
Detectives are asking anyone with information about Benavidez’s death to call the Police Department at 916-808-5471.
This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 3:47 PM.
