Clayton teen charged in church burglaries

A Clayton teenager faces more than a half dozen burglary charges after his uncle reportedly caught him trying to escape during one of the break-ins.

Barbour County Sheriff’s Investigator Sgt. David Morris arrested William Caleb Benefield, 18, and charged him with five felony counts of third-degree burglary, including the burglary of four churches.

Morris said the charges resulted after he and the teenager’s uncle, Barbour County Sheriff’s Deputy David Benefield, caught the younger Benefield and his 17-year-old girlfriend coming out of someone else’s house, allegedly carrying stolen property. He’s being held in the Barbour County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

After the two deputies took William Benefield into custody on Dec. 22, Morris said the teen confessed to the burglaries during an interview. The unidentified teenage girl was charged with a single count of third-degree burglary and taken to the Southeast Alabama Diversion Center in Dothan.

Morris charged Benefield with the burglaries of four churches, including Freemont AME Church in the Bakerhill area, along with Oakey Grove Church, Friendly Assembly of God, and Corinth Baptist Church, all in Clayton. The church burglaries were all reported in October and November. Several musical instruments, including guitars, were stolen during the burglaries, along with some money and food. Morris said the property has not been recovered because their investigation showed it was sold at a Houston County flea market.

Henry County sheriff’s investigators also charged William Benefield with two church burglaries.

Investigators also charged a 16-year-old boy with four felony counts of third-degree burglary as part of the investigation.

According to a statement from Morris, more charges are pending the completion of the department’s investigation.