SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 18, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — A Third District Court jury found both Jose Luis Pina-Cruz and Frank P. Benavidez guilty of a 2006 aggravated sexual assault of a teenage girl, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has announced.
“Multiple Law Enforcement Agencies worked together to solve the case and were able to successfully identify the Defendant’s due in large part to the state of Utah’s participation in the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI),” says a news release issued by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
In 2006, the 16-year-old victim-survivor told authorities that two men she could not identify had sexually assaulted her. In 2018, her sexual assault kit was tested through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
At the time, Frank Benavidez was identified using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) — a computer software program with DNA profiles from convicted individuals. Charges were filed against Benavidez, who was then and remains in prison.
“While preparing to prosecute Mr. Benavidez, DNA technology continued to evolve. The prosecution team applied this new technology to unprocessed samples in this case,” the news release says. “Jose Luis Pina-Cruz was identified as the second perpetrator of the alleged 2006 aggravated sexual assault as a result.”
Both defendants went on trial last week before a Third District Court jury. Last Friday, the jury found each defendant guilty of one count of first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping, one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, and one count of first-degree felony aggravated robbery.
Sentencing for both defendants is set for April 4 of this year.
“We hope these convictions help the victim-survivor begin to feel safe and heal from the harm and trauma that was inflicted on her,” said Salt Lake County DA Sim Gill in the release.
“Unknown assailants committing crimes are some of the most disturbing because they hide in the crowd of society. While these two may have thought they got away with this horrific act they were held accountable due to advances in technology.
“We appreciate the funding provided by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative that helped to ensure both of these defendants could be held accountable for their depraved and violent crimes.
Gill also thanked prosecutors Morgan Vedejs, Heather Lindsay, their support staff, the Department of Public Safety and former Agent Coats, SAKI, and the Salt Lake City Police Department.
