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The Murder of Garrett Benson
● Convicted — First Degree Murder
Cutten, California
Home Invasion Robbery
US National Guard Veteran
Garrett Ryan Benson — 1981 to 2008
| Name | Garrett Ryan Benson |
| Age at Death | 27 |
| From | Cutten, Humboldt County, California |
| Occupation | UPS Driver — 7 years |
| Military Service | National Guard — 9 years — Sergeant — Persian Gulf |
| Parents | Randy and Susan Benson |
| Siblings | Sister Erica; one brother |
| Laid to Rest | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii |
The Victim
Garrett Ryan Benson
Garrett Ryan Benson was 27 years old and lived in Cutten, an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. He was a UPS driver with seven years of service on his route, known to customers and colleagues alike. His obituary noted that people were always happy to see Garrett deliver their packages. He had served nine years in the National Guard, achieving the rank of sergeant, and had been deployed to the Persian Gulf. His father Randy described him at sentencing as motivated, hilarious, responsible, loyal, intelligent, kind, and patriotic — a man of integrity.
Garrett's mother Susan said he was the head of his own household and of hers. He came over to chop firewood for her and sent her bouquets of flowers when she was distressed. His sister Erica said he was loved by many, and that his loss did not affect one person but hundreds. His girlfriend Rachel Wold was with him the night he was killed. She said at sentencing that Garrett saved her life.
His family asked that mourners donate to CASA of Humboldt, an organization for foster children, or Food for People, the Humboldt County food bank, in lieu of flowers. He was laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, in recognition of his military service. His obituary included a poem written in his memory.
01
Background
What We Know
On the night of December 3, 2008, Garrett Benson was at his home in Cutten, California, with his girlfriend Rachel Wold. At some point that evening there was a knock at the front door. When Garrett answered it, he was confronted by two armed men wearing masks. They forced their way into the residence. A struggle ensued as Garrett attempted to stop the home invasion. He was shot three times during the altercation. The two masked men fled the scene. Garrett was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries hours later.
When investigators arrived at the scene, they discovered a significant amount of marijuana being grown and processed at the home, as well as a large quantity prepared for sale. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office determined that the two men had targeted Benson's home in an attempted robbery of the marijuana. Garrett Benson was not the aggressor; the attack was brought to his door.
Jonathan Henry Watson, 30, a drifter who frequented the Shasta County area and had no permanent residence, was identified as the shooter. His co-conspirator, Jason Leon Belles, 31, of Redding, California, participated in planning and executing the robbery but did not enter the home or interact directly with the victims. Both men were arrested within ten days of the murder. Watson was charged with first-degree murder, and the case was prosecuted by the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office.
02
Case Timeline
How It Unfolded
December 3, 2008
Garrett Benson Is Shot During a Home Invasion at His Cutten Residence
Garrett Benson, 27, is at his home in Cutten, California, with his girlfriend Rachel Wold when two masked armed men force their way through the front door. A struggle ensues. Garrett is shot three times. The two men flee. Rachel Wold survives. Garrett is transported to a local hospital where he dies from his injuries hours later. Investigators arriving at the scene discover a significant amount of marijuana being grown and processed in the home and determine the attack was a robbery attempt.
December 11, 2008
Jonathan Watson Arrested in Cottonwood, California
Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, working with the Redding Police Department and the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, arrest Jonathan Henry Watson, 30, in Cottonwood, California. He is booked into the Shasta County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, robbery of an inhabited dwelling, false imprisonment, and burglary, and is subsequently transported to Humboldt County. Watson is described as a drifter with no permanent residence who frequented the Shasta County area.
December 12, 2008
Jason Leon Belles Arrested in Redding, California
Jason Leon Belles, 31, Watson's co-conspirator, is arrested at his home in Redding, California and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and robbery of an inhabited dwelling. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office confirms the robbery was drug related.
August 2009
Belles Sentenced — Watson Attempts to Withdraw Plea
Jason Leon Belles accepts a plea deal reducing his murder charge to voluntary manslaughter and is sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison, minus time already served, plus a three-year parole term and a $1,400 restitution fine. The judge notes that Belles did not enter the home or interact with the victims. Watson also initially accepted a no-contest plea to first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement but attempts to withdraw it, claiming his medication impaired his judgment at the time. He also seeks to change his legal counsel, claiming ineffective representation.
August 29, 2009
Judge Denies Watson's Requests — Watson Sentenced to 50 Years to Life
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson denies both of Jonathan Watson's requests, finding him to have been in full possession of his faculties at the time of his plea. Watson is sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. Garrett's family and Rachel Wold address the court. Garrett's father Randy says he can never forgive. His mother Susan says she was proud of the person Garrett was and who he might have become. Rachel Wold tells Watson she would not be defined by fear, and calls him a coward who hides behind a mask and a gun.
September 4, 2009
Watson Received into California Department of Corrections
Jonathan Watson is received by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from Humboldt County to begin serving his sentence for first-degree murder and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury or death.
January 16, 2020
Watson Kills Two Fellow Inmates in Prison — Confesses in Letter
Having been transferred to the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran and moved from single-cell to dormitory housing, Watson attacks two fellow inmates with a walking cane, both convicted sex offenders, inflicting multiple head wounds. David Bobb, 48, dies en route to hospital. Graham De Luis-Conti, 62, dies three days later. Watson turns himself in to a guard. He subsequently sends a written confession to a newspaper. California prison officials are cleared of wrongdoing in a subsequent investigation. Watson remains in the California State Prison system. As of the date of publication, Jason Belles has completed his sentence and resides in California.
03
Investigation
The Investigation
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office took the lead on the investigation following Garrett Benson's death on December 3, 2008. Officers arriving at the scene found Rachel Wold and determined that two masked men had forced their way into the residence and shot Garrett during a struggle. The discovery of a significant quantity of marijuana being grown and processed at the home quickly established the motive: the attack was a robbery attempt targeting the marijuana.
Humboldt County investigators worked with the Redding Police Department and the Shasta County Sheriff's Office to identify and locate the suspects. Jonathan Henry Watson was identified as the shooter. He was described as a drifter with no permanent address who frequented the Shasta County area. Investigators noted that Watson had several tattoos on his wrists and hands and a distinctive vintage microphone tattoo on his neck, and believed him to have been driving a new black Chevrolet pickup truck in the Eureka area in the days before the murder.
Watson was arrested eight days after the murder in Cottonwood, California. His co-conspirator Jason Leon Belles was arrested the following day at his residence in Redding. Both were charged; Belles accepted a plea deal reducing his charge to voluntary manslaughter, with the court noting he did not enter the home or directly confront the victims. Watson pleaded no contest to first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement and was sentenced to 50 years to life.
Watson attempted to withdraw his plea shortly before sentencing, claiming he had been medicated and not fully competent at the time he entered it. He also sought to change his legal counsel. Judge Bruce Watson denied both requests, finding Watson had been in full possession of his faculties. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Max Cardoza. Watson was received into the California Department of Corrections on September 4, 2009.
04
The Convicted
Jonathan Henry Watson and Jason Leon Belles
Jonathan Henry Watson
Jonathan Henry Watson
Born circa 1978 — Shasta County area, California
Role: Shooter — entered the home and confronted Garrett Benson
Description at Arrest: Drifter; no permanent residence; distinctive vintage microphone tattoo on neck; tattoos on wrists and hands
Charges: First-degree murder; robbery of an inhabited dwelling; false imprisonment; burglary; felon in possession of a firearm
Plea: No contest — first-degree murder with firearm enhancement
Sentenced: August 29, 2009 — Humboldt County Superior Court — Judge Bruce Watson
Sentence: 50 years to life
Current Status: California State Prison system — serving sentence; committed two additional homicides in prison in January 2020
Jason Leon Belles
Jason Leon Belles
Born circa 1977 — Redding, California
Role: Co-conspirator — participated in planning and executing the robbery; did not enter the home or interact directly with the victims
Original Charges: First-degree murder; conspiracy; robbery of an inhabited dwelling
Plea: No contest — voluntary manslaughter; transporting marijuana; possession of marijuana for sale
Sentenced: August 2009 — Humboldt County Superior Court
Sentence: 7 years 8 months — plus 3-year parole term and $1,400 restitution
Current Status: Sentence completed — resides in California as of date of publication
Prosecutor's Note
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Max Cardoza of the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office. Watson attempted to withdraw his no-contest plea shortly before sentencing, claiming medication had impaired his judgment. He also sought new legal counsel, alleging ineffective representation. Judge Bruce Watson denied both requests, finding that Watson had been in full possession of his faculties at the time of his plea. Watson watched the victim impact statements at sentencing expressionless.
In Memoriam
He Is Not Forgotten
Garrett Benson was 27 years old. He had served nine years in the National Guard and been deployed to the Persian Gulf. He drove a UPS truck. He chopped firewood for his mother and sent her flowers when she was sad. He was a prankster; if someone found their vehicle covered in UPS Post-its, they knew Garrett had struck again. People were always happy to see him deliver their packages.
He was in his own home on a December night when two masked men with guns came through his door. He fought back. His girlfriend survived. He did not. He was shot three times and died hours later at the hospital.
His sister Erica said at sentencing that Watson had murdered one man but slaughtered the souls of hundreds of people in the community. His father Randy said his world had changed and his beliefs were not the same anymore. His mother Susan said she was proud of her son and who he might have become. His girlfriend Rachel said simply: Garrett saved my life.
He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the veterans he served alongside. He is not forgotten.
"You may have murdered one man, but you've slaughtered the souls of hundreds of people in this community."
Erica Benson, Garrett's sister — sentencing, 2009
Sources
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office | Times-Standard | Redheaded Blackbelt (Kym Kemp) | Redwood Times | Heavy.com | Newsweek | Prison Legal News | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | Odd Murders and Mysteries | Find a Grave | WatchPaul (court records blog)
Garrett Ryan Benson — National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii
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