Chardonnay Marie Benavidez, Oregon Mom, Tries Killing 3 Kids – Dad Speaks Out

An Oregon woman, Chardonnay Marie Benavidez, faces serious legal allegations after police accused her of trying to kill her three young children.

Attempted Murder

Per NBC Montana, she’s been charged with three counts of attempted murder.

The state said she used vehicle exhaust in a garage to harm her family. That sparked a lot of debate over her real motives.

A Planned Sleepover In The Garage

The Keizer Oregon Police Department said Benavidez took her kids, ages 2 and 4, out to the family car.

Investigators stated she told the children they were going to have a “sleepover” in the vehicle.

Police then reported she started the engine and let it run to fill the closed garage with carbon monoxide.

The children survived and are currently with their father.

The Alleged Planning

On the Law&Crime Network, Friday, Chris Stewart and Lieutenant Trevor Wenning of the Keizer Oregon Police Department discussed how Benavidez allegedly admitted to “one week of pre-planning” before she turned the key.

Prosecutors said she took deliberate steps to set the scene. Nothing immediate happened to push her into the act.

The Husband

The suspect’s husband gave his take on the alleged incident. Audio aired by Stewart revealed that he spoke out shortly after her arrest.

His anger was evident.

“She was such a great bleeping mother,” he told reporters. He went straight to the hospital afterwards, but staff refused him entry.

“I ended up getting detained because I was like, ‘Dude, those are my kids back there. I’m bleeping going in,'” he shared.

Searching For A Clear Motive

Police officers kept trying to figure out why a mother would face these kinds of allegations.

Detective Trevor Wenning talked about the family dynamics during the investigation. He noted that she was “not happy with [the husband’s] parenting style.”

He added that she “ultimately…wasn’t happy with her life and wasn’t going to allow him to have the kids.”

It should be noted that this alleged motive has not been tested in court.

Reports have also indicated a history of self-harm and suicidal ideation, though details have not been fully aired in court.

Legal Analyst – The Defense Strategy

Family law attorney Randy Kessler also joined Stewart on Law&Crime Network.

He suggested that the prosecution had a strong case because investigators said Benavidez admitted to planning the incident, per The Sun.

“She took some steps to plan it. This just wasn’t spur of the moment. There wasn’t anything that provoked her,” Kessler said. “So certainly the legal basis for proving a murder case are there.”

Kessler shared his thoughts on how the defense lawyers would handle the trial. “There’s definitely a mental health component of it…everyone sees that. It’s clear as can be,” he argued.

He noted that a standard insanity defense wouldn’t work because Chardonnay Marie Benavidez “certainly seemed to know what she was doing.”

Next, he suggested that the defense might focus on her documented mental health sttuggles in an effort to reduce any eventual sentence.

What Happens Next

The court ordered Benavidez held without bond. Her grand jury hearing happens next week on June 17.

Salem Reporter advised that the hearing will determine whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to move forward with formal charges.

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