Houston police arrested a man accused of using Grindr to set up a robbery that led to murder.
Benjamin Davis, 29, was taken into custody on Saturday and now faces capital murder charges for the death of Victor Najera Betanzos, local TV station KPRC reported.
Officers of Harris County Sheriff’s office say Davis downloaded Grindr, a popular dating and hookup app, after hearing it was a useful tool to locate potential robbery victims.
Davis admitted he met with Betanzos ostensibly for sex but had plans to rob him.
“He learned from other individuals, people we don’t know, that it’s pretty easy to get into people’s homes on this app and rob them,” Assistant Harris County District Attorney Chandler Raine said.
Davis and Bentanzos began chatting on the app and made plans to meet at the victim’s home located in Houston, deputies say.
Davis admitted to hitting and knocking Bentanzos unconscious after entering the apartment; he then used the scarf to strangle him to death.
Davis also admitted that he tried to destroy evidence by pouring bleach on the victim’s body. He stole his iPhone, iPad, and truck.
Authorities arrested him after finding him driving Bentanzos’s truck.
Raine spoke on the dangers of using dating and hookup apps like Grindr, saying they give predators access to a person’s home and cautioned users to employ good judgment when arranging a date or hookup.
“Really, look at people before you allow them to come into your home,” Raine warned.
Davis is in jail on a $500,000 bond.
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