Man Pleads Guilty to Capital Murder

A former Montgomery County man on Monday pleaded guilty to capital murder and three counts of first-degree premeditated murder.

According to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, 26-year-old David Cornell Bennett Jr., formerly of Cherryvale, pleaded guilty to the four counts in Labette County District Court. District Judge Jeff Jack accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for February 16, 2018, at 10 a.m. in Parsons.

As part of the plea agreement, Schmidt withdrew the state’s notice of intent to seek the death penalty in the case. Under Kansas law, Bennett will receive the only other sentence authorized for capital murder, life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Bennett was charged with the crimes in connection with the November 2013 deaths of Cami Umbarger and her three minor children in Parsons. Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of murder in connection with the death of each of the four victims.

The case was investigated by the Parsons Police Department and Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Attorney General Jessica Domme, Labette County Attorney Stephen Jones, former Assistant Attorney General Amy Hanley, and the late Assistant Attorneys General Steve Wilhoft and Lee Davidson prosecuted the case.

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