8-1-08

Mja Inc Investigations has sent you 4 stories:

Updated: Sep 18, 2007 11:23 AM
14 News Daily Headlines

Reporter: Jonathan Hardison
New Media Producer: Amanda Lents

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=7068652

A 14 News Exclusive, a cold murder case in Evansville heats up as divers search for new evidence.

Divers from the Evansville Fire Department spent most of Wednesday searching an eastside pond for evidence in the murder case of 23-year-old Benjamin Doyle. Thursday is the sixth anniversary of his death.

Police are refusing to comment on or even confirm what they might have been looking for, much less whether they found it. But 14 News was there Wednesday as divers and detectives searched for something that may lead them to Benjamin Doyle's killer.

Using metal detectors in water with only six inches of visibility, fire department divers had to sift through piles of trash in search of new evidence in a murder that happened just a few hundred feet away.

Lt. Eric Eifert with the Evansville Fire Department says, "You're on your hands and knees crawling through mud. It takes a lot of effort a lot of weight, and you're basically just mushing through a bunch of mud trying to find your object. It's a difficult chore."

The body of 23-year-old Benjamin Doyle was found at the bottom of the stairs in an apartment on September 13, 2001.

What was first though to be an accident soon became a murder investigation when an autopsy revealed Doyle had been hit in the head repeatedly with a blunt object.

Bridget Donnellan the victim's mother says, "I'm numb, I feel nothing and I don't know how to feel. I mean it's been six years. The excitement in the beginning when I thought it would be solved immediately, that feeling is gone and replaced with nothing."

Though she never gave up hope, Doyle's mom says she's been frustrated by the lack of leads over the past six years. She believes several of the people at a party the night of Doyle's death know more than they've told.

Donnellan says, "It was a case of collective amnesia. Everyone was saying that they didn't remember. I'm like, there's just no way these people cannot remember everything."

Doyle's family believes it may be new information from someone at the party that has led police to the pond and possible new evidence, but that's not enough to get the family's hopes up yet.

Donnellan says, "It's like an emotional roller coaster because they tell me something good, and then it's over with. I go up and down up and down. I'll believe it when I see somebody going into the courthouse in cuffs, and see their mothers weep and cry for their absence the way this mother has cried and wept for her son and her offspring. Then, that will be the believing point."

Doyle's mom also says she thinks the sight of divers searching for new evidence may scare whoever committed this crime, and she believes police may be able to make an arrest soon.

If you have any information about the murder of Benjamin Doyle call Evansville Police at 435-6194
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Evansville woman arrested in a cold murder case

Updated: Oct 2, 2007 02:16 PM
14 News Daily Headlines

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=7106862

New Media Producer: Nick Storm

There has been an arrest in a cold murder case we've been following for six years now.

An Evansville woman questioned in the death of 23-year old Ben Doyle is arrested on obstruction of justice charges.

Police say 26-year old, Tracy Wongngamnit contacted a witness in the investigation after being warned not to. Police say they interviewed her on the anniversary of Doyle's death after getting numerous tips that she may have been involved.

Ben Doyle's body was found at the bottom of a staircase in a Cass Court Apartment. Police say he had been at a party at Wongngamnit' s apartment.
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Woman arrested in seven year old murder

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=8775035

Posted: Aug 1, 2008 04:26 PM

Updated: Aug 1, 2008 06:08 PM

By Jill Lyman

An Evansville woman is indicted by a grand jury for murder.

Tracy R. Wongngamnit, 27, was was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. Friday in the death of Benjamin Doyle.

Ben Doyle's body was found at the bottom of a staircase in a Cass Court Apartment in September of 2001. Police say he had been at a party at Wongngamnit' s apartment.

What was first though to be an accident soon became a murder investigation when an autopsy revealed Doyle had been hit in the head repeatedly with a blunt object.

We'll bring you the latest information on the investigation and the charges on 14 News at 6 & 10.
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Posted by:

Mja Inc--TK Stout
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8-2-08

Mja Inc Investigations has sent you an up-dated story:

Murder arrest: 14 News talks with victim's mom

Posted: Aug 1, 2008 04:26 PM

Updated: Aug 1, 2008 10:11 PM

http://www.14wfie.com/global/story.asp?s=8775035

Woman arrested in seven year old murder

Family of the man killed in accident talks

By Brandon Bartlett
Posted by Jill Lyman

Update: 14 News spoke with a mother who's been waiting seven years for justice in the murder of her son.

Evansville Police now have a suspect behind bars in the death of Benjamin Doyle. Doyle was found dead at the foot of a staircase in an east side apartment.

Tracy Wongngamnit, 27, was arrested Friday and charged with murder. She's being held at the Vanderburgh County Jail. Wongngamnit was indicted by a grand jury Friday in Doyle's death.

She was arrested in September 2007 in the case, but charged with obstruction of justice, after police say she contacted a witness after being told not to.

Doyle died in September of 2001, after attending a party at the Cass Court Apartments. Investigators originally thought Doyle had fallen down the stairs after a night of drinking, but a coroner's report showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system.

Doyle had a skull fracture, brain swelling and bruising. His mother, Bridget Donnellan, tells 14 News this arrest is long overdue.

"I did a jig in the kitchen. I'm very, very happy," said Donnellan. "It doesn't really matter what happens now. I'm very, very pleased. This has been a long process."

For seven years Bridget Donnellan said she knew what happned to her son.

"I knew he was murdered because Tracy is a scamp," said Donnellan.

In September 2001, the night of the party, Tracy Wongngamnit and Benjamin Doyle had just gotten out of a relationship. Both remainded friendly, even at the party, which is even more puzzling why Doyle ended up at the bottom of a staircase... in his own blood.

"We treated her like family, and look what she did to our kid," said Donnellan. "That's all I got to say."

Donnellan says many people at the party that night have come to her, telling her there's more to the story than tracy was telling. Donnellan immediately took that information to police.

"I aggravated the crap out of everyone downtown," said Donnellan.

Then finally, there is a break in the case. Detectives aren't revealing specifics as to what led to the arrest, only saying it was a community effort.

"For the most part, people that knew about it have come forward," said Evansville Police Detective Tony Mayhew. "I think the people felt, they have told me that, 'We're not going to have this. For the boy do die like this, and we're not going to have this.'"

Now with Wongngamnit behind bars, Donnellan says justice has finally been served, but for her, it's been a long seven years.

"I will never forgive her because Benjamin would not want me to forgive her," said Donnellan. "There's no closure. There will never be closure."

Wongngamnit is being held at the Vanderburgh County Jail without bond. She's scheduled to be in court next week.

By Jill Lyman

Previously: An Evansville woman is indicted by a grand jury for murder.

Tracy R. Wongngamnit, 27, was was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. Friday in the death of Benjamin Doyle.

Ben Doyle's body was found at the bottom of a staircase in a Cass Court Apartment in September of 2001. Police say he had been at a party at Wongngamnit' s apartment.

What was first though to be an accident soon became a murder investigation when an autopsy revealed Doyle had been hit in the head repeatedly with a blunt object.
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Posted by:

Mja Inc--Mandy K