By David Lohr

advertisement

October 20, 2006

BONAPARTE, Iowa (Crime Library)   — Nearly 2,000 people gathered at the Harmony High School campus yesterday afternoon to mourn the loss of five members of the Bentler family.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house as mourners quietly passed by the caskets of Shayne, 14, Shelby, 15, Sheena, 17, and their mother, 47-year-old Sandra.  The girls' father, 53-year-old Mike Bentler, was cremated earlier this week and an urn containing his ashes was placed next to his family's caskets. 

Rev. John Spiegel asked the mourners to not hate, "the one they called son or brother."  The funeral program also contained a prayer about forgiveness:  "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy."

During an interview with KTVO, family friend Gary Thompson reflected on the huge turn out.  "A lot of people know each other, a lot of people knew them of course and we're entwined by knowing them from different angles," he said.  "It just shows the togetherness, and I don't know, thoughtfulness of a small community."

After the ceremony, a huge procession of cars followed the hearse to Bonaparte Cemetery, where the Bentler family was laid to rest.

Next Page

Shawn Bentler Allegedly Murders his Entire Family

Contact  David Lohr at           pa_crime_writer@velocity.net

For more daily crime news