Ohio man charged with murder after missing girlfriend's body found in landfill, police say

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Missing Quinton Simon: Chatham County investigators search landfill

Georgia police officials said Tuesday they had reason to believe Quinton Simon's body was discarded in a "specific dumpster" and transported to a local landfill by "regular means."

An Ohio man was charged this week in the death of his girlfriend after her body was found in a landfill, police said. 

Gene Scott Jr. is accused of killing Renee Benedetti, 40, of Columbus and leaving her body in a Rumpke Waste facility in Brown County, the Columbus Division of Police said. 

He has been charged with one count of murder. 

Benedetti was last seen on Jan. 26 and police have been searching for her for the last month. 

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Gene Scott Jr. was charged with one count of murder in the death of his girlfriend Renee Benedetti.  (Columbus Division of Police)

On Jan. 31, the Columbus Police Department reached out to the Columbus Division of Police about a possible homicide and she was reported missing, Columbus police Cmdr. Mark Denner said in a Thursday press conference. 

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Less than two days later, Scott was arrested in Kentucky on a weapons charge and then extradited to Ohio.

Investigators were led to the landfill where they searched for more than two weeks starting on Feb. 20 before finding her body on Wednesday, Denner said. 

Scott allegedly admitted to choking Benedetti "until she was motionless" during an argument on Jan. 29, the Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday, citing court documents. 

"Mr. Scott then wrapped up Miss Benedetti's body in a rug and later disposed of her body in southern Ohio," the court documents said, according to the Dispatch.

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Scott is believed to have acted alone, Denner told reporters.