David Scott Bennett, a man remembered for his ability to brighten any room he entered, was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on April 26, 1959. A resident of Inwood, the 65-year-old White man was a devoted fan of the Dallas Cowboys. His family, including a daughter, a grandson, a brother, and a sister, cherished him as a loving presence in their lives. His unexpected and violent death has left his loved ones and the community searching for answers.
On the evening of Monday, August 19, 2024, life for David Bennett was tragically cut short. Shortly after 8:00 p.m., the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department received a call reporting shots fired at the Economy Inn, located at 1620 Winchester Avenue in Martinsburg. When deputies arrived at the motel, they found Bennett with a single, devastating gunshot wound to his chest. First responders immediately began administering lifesaving measures at the scene before rushing him to Berkeley Medical Center.
Despite their efforts, David Bennett succumbed to his injury at the hospital.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. In the immediate aftermath, investigators assured the public that they did not believe there was an ongoing threat. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division began processing the scene, speaking with potential witnesses, and trying to piece together the events that led to the fatal encounter at the motel. The department indicated that once their investigation was complete, the findings would be turned over to the Berkeley County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Shortly after the shooting, authorities identified a person of interest in connection with Bennett's death: Michael Allen Taylor, a 38-year-old man from Martinsburg. While his name was publicly released, no charges were immediately filed against him in the Bennett case, and investigators continued to seek information from the public, urging anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the sheriff's department.
Months later, the man identified as a person of interest in Bennett's death would be connected to another homicide. In January 2025, Berkeley County Sheriff's deputies arrested Michael Allen Taylor for the murder of John Offenstein. Investigators found Offenstein deceased in the basement of his Inwood home, where he had reportedly offered Taylor a place to stay after he became homeless. In May 2026, Taylor, then 40, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and use of a firearm in Offenstein's death. He was sentenced to an aggregate of 50 years in prison for that crime.
While Michael Allen Taylor is now incarcerated for the murder of John Offenstein, his connection to the death of David Bennett remains unresolved in public records. Following the initial announcement that he was a person of interest, no subsequent reports have indicated that he was ever charged or cleared in Bennett's shooting.
Following his death, David Bennett's family held a visitation for friends and loved ones on September 12, 2024, at the Brown Funeral Home South Berkeley Chapel in Inwood, with services and interment held privately. As of late 2026, the homicide of David Scott Bennett is still considered an open and unsolved case. There have been no public announcements of any arrests or charges directly related to his murder, leaving his family and community without a final sense of justice. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department at 304-267-7000.
