PLACER COUNTY, Calif. – Damon Allen Benson, known as the “Tinder killer” in local media, has been sentenced to 71 years in prison in Placer County after being found guilty of murder, aggravated mayhem, torture, felony criminal threats, and false imprisonment by violence.
The case, described by authorities as a “horrific love triangle murder plot,” unfolded in the summer of 2021 on the outskirts of Sacramento. Benson met a 29-year-old woman on the dating app Tinder and proceeded to hold her against her will and torture her at his apartment in Rancho Cordova. The victim, of Jewish descent, was subject to unimaginable horrors, including being tied to the ceiling and having a swastika carved into her back.
Driven by jealousy, Benson tortured the victim in an attempt to force her to reveal the address of another man she had met through Tinder. He later ambushed the man, Cameron Gabriel, at his home in nearby Rocklin and shot him dead. Surveillance footage capturing Benson fleeing Gabriel’s home further supported the prosecution’s case against him.
The victim’s family received a sense of justice with Benson’s sentencing, as noted by Placer County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jeffery Moore. Acknowledging that nothing can undo the pain inflicted by the defendant, Moore emphasized the importance of ensuring that Benson is removed from society to prevent him from victimizing anyone again.
In a significant development, Benson’s sentencing serves as a clear message that such heinous crimes will not go unpunished in Placer County. The authorities’ commitment to delivering justice to the fullest extent allowed by the law is evident, marking a pivotal moment for the local community and the pursuit of justice in the region.