Cold Case Files: OSBI still investigating 1995 murder of Midwest City woman who was found dismembered in Caddo County
- Dennis McCaslin
- Jun 11, 2025
- 1 min read
In April 1995, skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave near Route 66 and Highway 281 in Caddo County, Oklahoma.
Known only as the Caddo Jane Doe for 27 years, the victim was identified in March 2022 as Katrina Kay (Burton) Bentivegna, a 20-year-old mother from Midwest City.
Despite this breakthrough, her murder remains unsolved, with no suspects publicly named.
On April 24, 1995, a law enforcement officer noticed scavenging birds and discovered partial skeletal remains in a shallow grave in rural Caddo County. The body was dismembered, missing the head, hands, and feet, making identification difficult.
The victim wore blue size 7 Lee Riders jeans, lace underwear, and a bra. The medical examiner determined she was female, possibly pregnant or having given birth, and died from a stab wound to the chest.
At the time, the medical examiner stated he thought the victim was 16 years old which may have hampered the initial investigation.
In September 1996, a skull found 1.2 miles away near Highway 281 was confirmed through
DNA to belong to the same individual. Without fingerprints or a missing person report, the
case stalled for decades.
In March 2021, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Cold Case Unit sent the victim’s DNA to Parabon NanoLabs for forensic genetic genealogy. In August 2021, Parabo
identified potential relatives.
OSBI agents collected DNA samples from family members, and in March 2022, the remains were confirmed as Katrina Kay Bentivegna, born in 1975. Her family, including her son, was notified, providing closure after 27 years.
Katrina, originally from Colorado, moved to Midwest City, in 1993. She married Charles Basil
Bentivegna in November 1993 in Florida and had a son, born in May 1994. By early 1995, their marriage was deteriorating.
On March 14, 1995, Charles filed for divorce in Oklahoma County District Court, claiming Katrina had “abandoned” their son. The divorce was granted in July 1995, after her remains were
found but before her identification. Court records do not clarify whether Katrina appeared in the proceedings or was absent.
Katrina was not listed in the National
Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NaMus) or other missing persons
databases, and it’s unclear if her family or
husband reported her missing.
This absence raises questions about whether her disappearance was noticed or
assumed to be voluntary.
Little public information is available about Charles Basil Bentivegna. At the time of the
divorce, he was living in Oklahoma with
their son. By 2022, when the OSBI identified Katrina, Charles was residing in Florida.
After being contacted by the OSBI, he hired attorney Tracy Schumacher, who stated he
needed a local contact due to his distance
from Oklahoma. Schumacher claimed
Charles returned home one day to find
Katrina had left with suitcases and belongings, suggesting she left voluntarily.
No evidence has been released implicating him in the murder, and he has not been named a suspect. His current status or occupation is not publicly documented.
The OSBI estimates Katrina was killed in late 1994 or early 1995. The dismemberment
indicates an intent to conceal her identity, but no suspects or motives have been
publicly disclosed.
The lack of a missing person report and the timing of the divorce filing, six weeks before the remains were found, have drawn attention, but no arrests have been
made.
A July 2024 OSBI update revealed Katrina was a student at Oklahoma City Community College and worked at an Olive Garden near I240 in Oklahoma City, prompting renewed calls for tips about her contacts or activities.
Brook Arbeitman
“We can’t solve her murder without knowing who she was,” said OSBI spokesperson
Brook Arbeitman. “Now we need help to find her killer.”
The OSBI urges anyone who knew Katrina, including friends, coworkers, or classmates, to contact them at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Katrina’s son, now an adult, expressed gratitude for the OSBI’s efforts, stating, “There have been many unanswered questions over the past 27 years, but now I have closure in knowing what happened to my mom.”
Katrina Bentivegna’s identification is a step forward, but her murder remains unsolved. With no suspects named, the OSBI relies on public assistance to uncover the truth.
Anyone with information about Katrina’s life, relationships, or activities in 1994–1995 is urged to contact the OSBI at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov.
