AZ BENJAMIN ANDERSON: Missing from Phoenix, AZ - 31 Dec 2021 - Age 41 *Found Deceased**ARREST*

Missing man's body found – his car was discovered burned in north Phoenix on New Year's Day

The search for 41-year-old Benjamin Anderson is over after a body found in the desert is confirmed to be his. He went missing on Dec. 31.

www.fox10phoenix.com

Loved ones search for missing man after car found burned in north Phoenix​

Family and friends are searching for a missing Phoenix man after his car was found burned early Saturday morning near Interstate 17 and Dunlap.

Ben Anderson, 41, was last seen at his home the morning of Dec. 31, according to a missing persons flyer shared on social media.

Phoenix Man Missing Since Friday, Car Found Burnt Out

An Arizona man was reported missing over the weekend after friends found his car abandoned at a hotel. Daniel Stahoviak told KPNX he was supposed to meet 41-year-old Benjamin Anderson for breakfast Friday morning, but Anderson called to cancel at about 8 a.m. Later, Stahoviak said, he and friend...

www.crimeonline.com

Phoenix Man Missing Since Friday, Car Found Burnt Out​

An Arizona man was reported missing over the weekend after friends found his car abandoned at a hotel.

Daniel Stahoviak told KPNX he was supposed to meet 41-year-old Benjamin Anderson for breakfast Friday morning, but Anderson called to cancel at about 8 a.m.

Later, Stahoviak said, he and friend went to Anderson’s apartment, where they found money and Anderson’s debit and credit cards, along with a wet towel on the bed, but no Anderson.

Stahoviak said he tracked Anderson’s car to a Sheridan Hotel, where he said he saw three people — none of them his friend — around the car and called 911. Police said they later found Anderson’s car torched.

Anderson is described as 6 feet tall and 250 pounds. He was probably wearing shorts and a blue zip sweatshirt or a black T-shirt. He wears glasses.

Stahoviak described two of the three people he saw near his friend’s car: a woman with a slim build, about 5 feet 11 inches with blonde hair and a pink beanie and a man of average height with dark, curly hair.


MEDIA - BENJAMIN ANDERSON: Missing from Phoenix, AZ since 31 Dec 2021 - Age 41

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Detectives confirm cell phone found in high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson

A new discovery could impact the timeline of charges in the high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson.

www.azfamily.com

Detectives confirm cell phone found in high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson​

True Crime Arizona has learned detectives discovered a key piece of evidence in the high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the discovery of his cell phone, and now it is clear why this piece of evidence is crucial to when charges will be filed in this case. There are persons of interest in the case, but no arrests have been made.

What was once a rumor to Benjamin Anderson’s friends and family has finally been confirmed. His cell phone was found in a canal about three months after his murder in 2021.

The 41-year-old went missing on New Year’s Eve, and his body was found burning hours later. His car was later found charred, too.

Now, the MCSO has confirmed the location of where Ben’s cell phone was found.

“We heard and later confirmed that the phone was found in the canal in Glendale,” said Ben’s best friend, Dan Stahoviak. “It was found 3 months after the murder occurred and was found by what we believe to be a fisherman.” Stahoviak said this added information and location makes this case even more perplexing.

Here’s what we know​

• Anderson lived in central Phoenix
• His car was spotted by his friends, allegedly with strangers driving it, at the Sheraton parking garage in Phoenix
• The car was then found hours later burned at the UEI college parking lot in Phoenix
• Anderson’s body was found on fire in the desert off the I-17 and Table Mesa Road
• His cell phone was found in a Glendale canal three months later

“We’ve got evidence pieces of this puzzle that are all over the county basically, and it just doesn’t make sense,” said Stahoviak. “I don’t know how the phone got to Glendale of all places and when.”

The sheriff’s office is still trying to get into the phone to finish the forensic investigation, and Ben’s best friend told True Crime Arizona he knows exactly what they’re looking for.

Stahoviak said he knew Ben’s phone password and was able to access his “Find My iPhone” while he was missing. The data showed Ben’s phone pinged in his Phoenix condo the night before his disappearance, and it appeared his iCloud backed up around the same time that night.

“Whatever happened between that 10 p.m. the night before to the next morning, whatever text messages, is what they’re trying to get off the phone,” said Stahoviak.

He believes that could answer exactly what led up to his murder. MCSO told True Crime Arizona they will continue trying to get forensics off a device until it is inoperable, even if that takes years and repeat attempts.

The sheriff’s office said they are now finalizing paperwork to present the case to the county attorney’s office for charges, but they’re waiting for the final forensics to be finished (including Ben’s cell phone).

Stahoviak said he is cautiously optimistic, as the wait for justice has been a painful years-long saga.

“I’m confident there will be resolution, I just wish it was soon,” he said.

Stahoviak told us Ben’s phone served as both his personal and work phone, so it had added layers of cyber security. It was also waterlogged from being in the canal.

As soon as these forensics wrap up, new information about who MCSO wants to charge with Benjamin Anderson’s murder should be available.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Who killed Ben Anderson and why? Arizona Crime Uncovered looks into the case three years later

Each episode of Arizona Crime Uncovered breaks down a timeline of the case, where it stands now, and if the community can help. The fourth episode covers the mysterious death of Ben Anderson.

www.abc15.com

Who killed Ben Anderson and why? Arizona Crime Uncovered looks into the case three years later​

Arizona Crime Uncovered is an ABC15 series working to bring awareness to victims who are still waiting for justice and to provide an in-depth look at cases that are still unfolding.

Each episode of Arizona Crime Uncovered breaks down a timeline of the case, where it stands now, and if any help is needed from the community.

This episode covers the mysterious death of Ben Anderson. The questions of who killed the 41-year-old and why haunt his loved ones, especially this time of year. His life was mysteriously cut short on New Year's Eve in 2021. Anderson's body was found in the middle of the desert, near New River off Table Mesa Road, on fire. The case has been full of mysterious twists with pieces of evidence sprinkled throughout the Valley.

As the three-year mark in the investigation nears, ABC15 sat down with Anderson's friends who have never stopped fighting for answers or justice.

VIDEO AT LINK

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Charges submitted against 2 suspects in murder case of Benjamin Anderson

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that investigators have submitted charges against two men connected to the high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson.

www.azfamily.com

Charges submitted against 2 suspects in murder case of Benjamin Anderson​

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed to Arizona’s Family that investigators have submitted charges against two men in connection with the high-profile murder case of Benjamin Anderson in 2021.

MCSO has identified the suspects as Jaden M. Kaufman and Richard D. Kaufman.

“I’m bouncing between anxious, and you know, distraught,” said Dan Stahoviak, Ben’s best friend, after learning about the suspects.

According to the sheriff’s office, the case is actively being reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. While authorities have not publicly disclosed the specific charges, sources tell True Crime Arizona that prosecutors are pursuing different charges against each suspect.

Stahoviak said Ben’s closest friends have never heard of Jaden or Richard Kaufman, but did hear rumors that something was coming in Ben’s case.

“And the fact that it’s taken this long is even more of a mystery,” said Stahoviak.


Arizona’s Family is working to learn more about Richard, but found Jaden is already in prison for manslaughter after killing his friend during a drug deal and assaulting a man in a wheelchair outside a Phoenix pharmacy. The crimes were committed before and after Ben’s murder.

“It was so calculated, and it’s almost sophisticated,” said Stahoviak.

He said Ben’s friends have been flipping through mug shots, investigating the crime scenes and following any leads in the case.

This new break is what they’ve been working for, but Stahoviak realizes he’ll have to prepare to learn why his best friend was killed. It’ll be like opening a wound, but he knows Ben would want him to keep digging for the truth.

“I think he would be like, ‘Keep asking questions. Keep pushing.’ Because, that’s what he would do,” said Stahoviak.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Criminal history uncovered about suspects in Ben Anderson’s murder, including another killing

New details have come to light about the criminal records of the suspects in Benjamin Anderson's murder.

www.azfamily.com

Criminal history uncovered about suspects in Ben Anderson’s murder, including another killing​

Arizona’s Family has uncovered new details about the two men facing charges in the high-profile murder of Benjamin Anderson. Anderson’s New Year’s Eve killing remained an unsolved cold case for four years, and now we know more about the suspects’ criminal records.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is recommending charges against Jaden Kaufman and Richard Kaufman in Anderson’s murder.


It appears that’s not the only killing Jaden Kaufman is connected to. Earlier that same year, he killed someone else.


“Looking for accountability and just have somebody to answer the question why they thought they had the right to take a kid’s life,” Scott Dittmer told Arizona’s Family back in November of 2021.

Dittmer’s 21-year-old son, Cody Dittmer, was shot in the head at a Tempe park. The murder went unsolved for a year until police arrested Dittmer’s friend, Jaden Kaufman.

Now we know this is the timeline:

• September 2021: Kaufman killed Cody Dittmer
• December 2021: Investigators say Kaufman was involved in Ben Anderson’s murder
• January 2022: Kaufman assaulted a man in a wheelchair at a Walgreens
• January 2022: Kaufman was arrested for wheelchair assault the next day
• September 2022: Kaufman was arrested for Cody Dittmer’s death

Jaden Kaufman is currently in prison.

“He was just a bright kid. For somebody to make that decision to end his life is gut-wrenching,” Scott Dittmer said in November.

Scott Dittmer told True Crime correspondent Briana Whitney on the phone Monday that he was stunned by this connection to Anderson’s death and sent a picture of a hearing in his son’s case. The man behind Jaden in the courtroom is reportedly his father, Richard Kaufman, the second suspect in Ben Anderson’s death.

Arizona’s Family has now confirmed Richard Kaufman has a history with drugs and DUI and was working as a service manager at a local car dealership, taking appointments up until this weekend.

Ben Anderson’s best friend, Dan Stahoviak, is still confused about nearly everything in the case.

“I think the big question here: Do any of your guys’ friends know these two people?” Whitney asked Stahoviak on Friday.

“No. I reached out to his closest friends and said does this name sound familiar? Any of these names sound familiar? Did he say anything about this person in the weeks leading up to his murder? Nothing,” Stahoviak said.

At this point, MCSO has still not disclosed the exact charges each of the Kaufman men is facing, and we don’t know if Richard Kaufman is in custody.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I take it this must be the manslaughter charge he is in prison for, the killing of Dittmer earlier the same year? Sounds like it should have been a more serious murder charge to me but then I don't know the details.

I'm glad Ben's killers will be charged.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'Our work is not done': Ben Anderson's loved ones continue push for justice in 2026

Family and friends of Ben Anderson are left waiting to see if they will finally get answers in 2026. The 41-year-old was murdered on New Years Eve back in 2021.

www.abc15.com

'Our work is not done': Ben Anderson's loved ones continue push for justice in 2026​

Family and friends of Ben Anderson are left waiting to see if they will finally get answers in 2026. The 41-year-old was murdered on New Years Eve back in 2021.

The mystery of his death is still unraveling. Despite major developments in 2025, there have still been no arrests.

"It's been four years, which is very hard to believe," said Anderson's close friend Susan Dzbanko.


Adding to the anxiety, those close to Anderson are left waiting to see if two suspects will ultimately be charged in the case.


One of the suspects, Jaden Kaufman, is already in prison serving time for manslaughter. The other suspect was not in custody.

MCSO would only share the charges investigators submitted for the 24-year-old already behind bars. Those included first-degree murder, robbery, and arson.

ABC15 reached out this week to MCAO to check on the charging submittals. Our team was told they are still under review.


She is vowing that Anderson's friends will be pushing for justice until the very end.

"The fact of the matter is, while there are suspects who have been named, charges have not been brought, and our work is not done," said Dzbanko.

ABC15 also reached out to MCSO, but the agency didn't have any updates.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'It is a priority': Maricopa County Attorney gives update on review of Ben Anderson murder case

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell sat down with ABC15 to provide an update on a murder case that thrust the family of Ben Anderson into a murder mystery.

www.abc15.com

'It is a priority': Maricopa County Attorney gives update on review of Ben Anderson murder case​

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell sat down with ABC15 to provide an update on a murder case that thrust the family of Ben Anderson into a murder mystery.

ABC15 spoke with Anderson's close friend, Susan Dzbanko, on New Year's Day.

"It's been four years, which is very hard to believe," said Dzbanko.

His loved ones have been pushing for justice since his death, and County Attorney Rachel Mitchell says she knows they are waiting for answers.


On Monday, County Attorney Mitchell sat down with ABC15 to provide an update on the review of those submittals.

"This is a massive case," said Mitchell.

She said the report alone is around five thousand pages, and there are close to two thousand digital media files now being reviewed.

"There’s about 1,900 files of digital media, and that could be different things," said Mitchell. "First of all, it could be body-worn cam, it can be security footage, it can be surveillance footage, it can also be interviews, social media, cell phone downloads."

Mitchell said one prosecutor, possibly with some help, has to review everything to ensure they are prepared for a charging decision and a potential preliminary hearing or presentation to a grand jury.

"It is a painstaking process, but you want to get it right the first time," said Mitchell. "And the other part of that is if there’s something missing, you want to get that upfront. Because once we file charges, timelines go into place."

MCSO would only share the charges that investigators submitted for the 24-year-old already behind bars. Those included first-degree murder, robbery, and arson.

Monday, MCAO would also not share the submittal details regarding the second suspect.

ABC15 asked what the concerns were with a person out of custody who is a named suspect.

"It's not so much if MCSO puts out the name or not, if there’s not a concern, the person is going to flee," said Mitchell. "Likely, the person knows that they are suspected or under investigation. The issue that I have to balance as the head of the office is, you know, they are out there. This is serious. Is there a threat to society? Can we move this faster? Do we need more resources?"

She described those decisions as a "difficult balancing act."

The County Attorney also said she knows Anderson's loved ones have been waiting for answers.

"I will say this, we are working on it," said Mitchell. "It is a priority. We do care. We understand you’ve been waiting, not from us. We didn’t have the submittal, but we understand you are still waiting. And we want to get that done."

Mitchell could not provide us with a timeline on potential charges or a decision in the case.