October 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
(Walton County, Florida) State Attorney, Ginger Bowden Madden announces that today the Honorable J. Ryan Love sentenced Shawn Richard Bennett to two concurrent life sentences in the Florida Department of Corrections for First Degree Premeditated Murder and Armed Robbery. A jury found Shawn Richard Bennett guilty as charged on August 14, 2025.
On August 11, 2021 Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigated a missing persons report. Walton County Sheriff’s Office was able to track the victims’ vehicle to various locations in both Walton and Okaloosa Counties. While investigating these locations, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office located the victim in a small freshly dug grave. In the days after, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mr. Bennett for unrelated charges and located property belonging to the deceased victim.
The defendant was convicted following a joint effort from Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement . Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Josh Mitchell prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit.
