BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's been more than two years since Adam Bennefield was charged with killing his estranged wife, Ke'Aira Hudson Bennefield, in front of their children. Now, he is on trial for murder.
Ke'Aira Hudson Bennefield was in fear of her estranged husband. In fact, she was staying at her mother's home in Buffalo to remain safe. But on Oct. 5, 2022, with her kids in the car at 8:30 a.m, Bennefield caught up with her.
Ke'Aira's now 12-year-old daughter, who was nine at the time, testified and cried on the witness stand on Monday.
She said she was sitting in the front seat when Bennefield, her stepfather, hit their car with his silver pickup truck. She then told the court, he came to the car with a "long gun."
Her mom, she said, was wearing a bullet proof vest. She saw her mother get shot while her siblings ages 4 and six-months were in car seats in the back of the car.
James Riggins was the first witness to take the stand. He recalled going outside, seeing a vehicle at Shawnee and Richlawn Avenues. He testified seeing "trauma to the driver's forehead and there was no pulse." He also noticed a bullet proof vest on the driver.
Buffalo Police Officer Hernandez Sotero testified about the morning of the crime and seeing the victim driving and later seeing the collision aftermath. He did not see the cars crash, but he called for an ambulance while pursuing Bennefield.
Bennefield hit another patrol car, and according to the officer, "practically almost hitting kids" while trying to get away. At one point, he got on the 33 in the wrong direction. He eventually ditched the car and was on the run for a week.
Bennefield was captured about a week later riding a pink bike near St. Luke's.
The trial could last one week or less.
