RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. (TCD) — Damon Allen Benson, 31, has been sentenced to a minimum of 71 years to life in prison for a “horrific love triangle” that led to the torture and murder of another man. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced this sentencing on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Benson was found guilty of murder, torture, aggravated mayhem, false imprisonment by violence, criminal threats, and other charges. The jury determined that he “murdered the victim with premeditation and intent.”
The violent crime stemmed from a love triangle involving Benson, a woman he met on Tinder, and the victim. Investigators discovered that Benson held the woman captive at his apartment and tortured her on multiple occasions. In one instance, he carved a swastika into her back as she was tied to the ceiling with rope. The woman, who is Jewish, was also maimed by Benson so she would reveal her other lover’s address.
After obtaining the information, Benson located the victim, Cameron Gabriel, and “ambushed” him before fatally shooting him and fleeing the scene. Despite Benson’s claim of acting in self-defense, surveillance footage showed him entering the victim’s home in the middle of the night, followed by immediate gunfire and Benson running out.
The shooting took place in July 2021, and detectives from the Rocklin Police Department took Benson into custody in September of the same year. Following the sentencing, Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jeffery Moore expressed the hope that the justice provided would ensure Benson doesn’t victimize anyone again.
Cameron Gabriel, the victim, was described in his obituary as someone with an “energetic personality that would light up the room” and who appreciated life in all its forms. He had moved back to California just a few months before his death, leaving behind fond memories of his positive personality and sense of humor.
In conclusion, Damon Allen Benson, the 31-year-old man from Rancho Cordova, California, has been sentenced to 71 years to life in prison for the torture and murder of Cameron Gabriel. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced the verdict on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Benson’s actions towards the woman he met on Tinder and his subsequent murder of Gabriel resulted in a life sentence. The hope is that the sentencing will prevent Benson from harming others in the future, as stated by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jeffery Moore.