Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Robbing Elderly Couple’s Home in 2019 After Years at Large

Jarrod Jason Benelli, 49, was sentenced last month for burglarizing a house in 2019 and battering the two elderly occupants.

Between 2023 and 2024, Benelli faced several cases before he was identified as the burglary suspect and charged. 

Benelli was convicted in multiple cases and sentenced to ten years in prison as part of a plea deal.

2019 Home Invasion 

On January 19, 2019, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputies responded to reports of a home-invasion robbery. Deputies located an 86-year-old victim (F.V.) with a non-life threatening injury to the eye, as well as his elderly wife (L.V.).

At the time of the burglary, F.V. was inside a computer room in his home. He heard his alarm system chime as it does when the doors or windows are opened. He heard his dogs barking and believed his daughter possibly came by. He began walking out of the room and observed a masked intruder storming down the hallway towards him. 

“Give me your money... Give me your valuables… Where are the jewels," the police report describes Benelli telling the victim.

F.V. told him there were no jewels. The intruder then demanded F.V.’s wallet, which he handed over. During the incident, the intruder hit F.V., causing a laceration to his eye. The intruder then dragged F.V. to a closet and demanded that he get in and stay there. 

The intruder advanced towards the bedroom, which F.V. shares with L.V. He started rummaging through the drawers and closets. 

F.V. recalled the intruder saying he needed the money because his daughter in Atlanta was sick. 

According to the police report, “At one point during the incident, [F.V.] attempted to arm himself with his firearm which was on a nightstand in the bedroom, [but] the intruder took the firearm and disarmed the victim. [F.V.] said that he remembered being on the bathroom floor and hearing his wife screaming from outside. When he went outside he saw his neighbors coming to help. [F.V.] described the intruder as being a white male... The dark colored mask covered his facial area, but he could see around the eye holes in the mask. The suspect was also wearing ‘military’ style pants and a dark hooded jacket.”

L.V. was outside doing yard work at the time of the burglary. She attempted to go inside through a sliding door but discovered it was locked and believed her husband locked her out. She heard the dogs barking inside and observed the intruder exiting the residence from a side door. Arming herself with a Swiffer mop, the 71-year-old woman began striking the intruder. He dropped a silver colored lockbox that he was trying to exit the house with. The intruder charged at L.V. and pushed her before fleeing the scene. She tried to follow and observed him riding away on a blue bicycle. 

The intruder did not find any of the "jewels" he was looking for. The only notable items he took were F.V.’s wallet and firearm; likely not enough to cover his daughter’s treatment if his excuse was legitimate.   

Deputy Christopher Weitzel reported, “A canvass was conducted and a witness stated that they had heard a woman screaming from across the street and observed a subject running from the victim's residence and getting onto a blue bike and fleeing the scene. The same witness described seeing the suspect remove a camouflage article and throwing it to the ground. The witness directed deputies to the discarded item. Deputies located and collected a camouflage ski-mask in the flight path from the home where the witness had observed the suspect fleeing from and dropping the item."

Officers collected the ski-mask and provided it to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for further examination.

On March 30, 2019, FDLE submitted a report indicating that they collected a hair from the ski-mask. The DNA was consistent with a male and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

Weitzel reported that the investigation was "suspended" after exhausting all leads and finding no suspect.

It would take over five years until the offender was finally identified as Benelli. In the meantime he was arrested and charged with several other crimes. 

Alleged Death Threats

On May 30, 2023, Gainesville Police Department Ofc. Jarrell Delancy charged Benelli with sending a written threat to kill via sworn complaint.

It’s unclear if Benelli remained in Alachua County after the burglary or if he fled the area and came back. Sometime between the time of the burglary and 2023, Benelli became employed at Indi Car Credit in Gainesville.

On April 13, 2023, Benelli quit the job. After leaving the location, Benelli allegedly threatened the victim, who appears to be his former colleague or boss.

Benelli reportedly sent the victim “several different threatening text messages due to him being upset about not being paid.” Benelli “continued by telling” the victim that “he is going to beat him up when he sees him,” the police report states.

One of the text messages Benelli sent the victim reportedly said he would put him "in a dumpster" on "YouTube live" for taking his money.

The number the victim received the texts from was the same number Benelli put down on his application to get the job, according to the police report. One of the addresses used for the phone number reportedly matched the address Benelli used for the application. 

Prosecutors with State Attorney Brian Kramer’s Office of the Eighth Judicial Circuit (SAO8) declined to prosecute the case. SAO8 never formally filed charges and Benelli was not arrested. 

Aggravated Stalking Case

On August 22, 2024, GPD Ofc. Owen Osborne charged Benelli with aggravated stalking for an incident that occurred earlier in the month. He was also charged with a count of sending a written threat to kill in the same case. The incident is separate from his 2023 case but contains similar allegations, indicating a pattern of threats. 

The victim said there was an incident at the Lamplighter/Pinewood Estates office between a staff member and resident that resulted in a trespass. Benelli was not directly involved with the trespassing, but was upset about how the situation was handled. The victim told police he had been receiving messages from Benelli at the beginning of this incident, but after Benelli left work the messages became bizarre, violent and threatening. 

The victim explained that Benelli was a staff member and he got into an argument with another worker. The victim was unable to deescalate and Benelli was asked to leave early to have a fresh start in the morning.

The police report summarizes the victim’s sworn statement:

“The opening messages were contentious, but dealt with the situation at work with both [Benelli] and [the victim] messaging back and forth. [The victim] explained over the course of the night the messages became increasingly aggressive. Over the course of the night, and during this report Jarrod messaged [the victim] over 87 times and left at least two voice messages. Jarrod sent three videos of random knife attacks to [the victim] in addition to writing how being killed in a knife attack is one of the worst ways to die. [The victim] advised he informed Corporate about the messages [and they] advised not to respond anymore to Jarrod. [The victim] explained by the early morning hours... the messages had progressed to [become] explicitly violent, graphically describing what Jarrod would either do or have done to [the victim]. [The victim] advised based on these messages, Jarrod was terminated by Corporate and told by Corporate not to return to the property. [The victim] was able to provide some of those messages and voicemails.”

Benelli sent the victim several aggressive messages containing slurs.

The victim showed police a voice message where Benelli “clearly stated they would go down to Lamplighter and blow [their] head off.” 

Osborne reported, “While conducting this interview, Jarrod actively sent messages to [the victim]. As a result, I paused the interview and contacted Jarrod by phone multiple times via the CCC. I requested the Communications Supervisor preserve the calls with Jarrod for evidence. Jarrod was very aggressive on the phone hanging up on me three times yelling about [the victim]. I contacted Jarrod on the same number [he] used to send the text messages and voicemails to [the victim]. Jarrod confirmed there was an altercation at work and he no longer worked for Lamplighter /Pinewood Estates. During the contentious conversation with Jarrod, I told him he was to have no further contact with [the victim] by any means or return to Lamplighter.”

Osborne told Benelli that more charges would be issued if he did not leave the victim alone. Immediately after this, Benelli texted the victim, “Little police hiding pos..." followed by multiple insults and slurs.

Osborne reported, “[The victim] advised he was afraid because of the explicit threats against him, Jarrod’s blatant disregard for the police or consequences, Jarrod’s irrational behavior and anger (due to an incident that did not directly involve him), in addition to Jarrod’s knowledge where [the victim] lives and works. Jarrod’s malicious ongoing pattern of conduct has no legitimate purpose and has placed [the victim] in justifiable fear for his safety.”

Dropped Harassment Case

On September 1, 2024, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies charged Benelli with harassing telephone communications. 

In late August 2024, the victim told Benelli over text that she did not want him to contact her anymore. Benelli immediately sent two further text messages and called her, the police report states. The victim was with Deputy Travis Devinny at the time, and she asked him to answer the phone.

Devinny told Benelli that he was investigating him for harassment. Benelli said he would no longer call the victim. He allegedly texted her nine additional times that night. 

Benelli was reportedly still contacting the victim on September 1, 2024. 

SAO8 later dropped the case. 

Inmate Battery Case

On November 20, 2024, Benelli was arrested on a warrant for the aggravated stalking case. 

On November 28, 2024, Benelli was involved in an altercation with another inmate who was in jail for alleged felony theft. 

The video showed Benelli and the victim near each other at a table. Benelli stood in a fighting stance in front of the victim, who was sitting on the table. Benelli approached aggressively and began attacking the victim. He tried to separate himself but Benelli continued to attack. The victim was not seen returning any punches. Detention officers physically detained Benelli using a taser and pepper spray. 

Benelli told police that issues with him and the victim began the day prior. He said the victim was asking personal questions that angered him, and he stood up telling the victim to stop. Benelli admitted to shoving the victim but denied punching him. When confronted about the video, Benelli said he doesn’t remember continuing to attack the victim but acknowledged that “things just went gray.”

Benelli was charged with battery by a detainee. 

Home Invasion Investigation Resumes 

On March 3, 2025, the FDLE provided ACSO with a CODIS notification relating to the home invasion. They advised that a sample obtained from “Jarrod Blum” matched the male DNA sample collected from the camouflage ski-mask. Benelli legally changed his last name in 2009.

Benelli’s arrest in 2024 is what led to the CODIS notification.

On March 5, 2025, Det. Christopher Weitzel interviewed Benelli at the jail: 

“During the subsequent interview it was learned that in 2019 around the time of the incident he had in fact been residing in Gainesville, Florida. He stated he has resided in other areas of Florida and in Texas doing construction work. During the interview, I showed him several photos to include that of the camouflage ski-mask. He was asked if he ever owned a camouflage ski-mask and he said ‘no, he's never seen that before.’ He said that he had a black one a long time ago. I again asked him if he has ever owned or wore one like that in his entire life. His response was ‘no.’ I asked him why his hair would be in this article. A short time later… Benelli said he should probably speak to an attorney. The interview was concluded… 

This detective believes that on January 19, 2019… Benelli entered the residence of both victims to steal monetary items from the home. During the course of the incident… Benelli battered one 86-year-old victim severe enough so that this victim had to be treated at a hospital…” 

Plea Deal 

On September 14, 2026, Benelli signed a plea deal with SAO8 for ten years in prison followed by five years of probation. He was convicted of burglary with a dangerous weapon, two counts of battery on a 65+ year old victim, aggravated stalking through credible threat, sending a written threat to kill, and battery by a detainee upon another detained individual.

The sentencing sheet states the plea negotiation was with the "consent [and] input of all noted victims" and asserts that Benelli had "no prior history."

According to court documents from the aggravated stalking case, Benelli "has prior withholds of adjudication from 1997 for Possession of Alcohol by Person under 21 and Resisting without Violence. [Benelli] pleaded guilty in 2014 in Texas to Disorderly Conduct and received a period of supervision, although the final disposition appears to be 'Deferred.'"