SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — Two men were found guilty on murder charges Thursday in the 2021 case where two bodies were found inside a burned-out pickup truck in Spalding County.
A Spalding County jury convicted both Eric Cabrera Lopez and Carmen Emilio Torres in the deaths of 36-year-old Carlos Benford and 29-year-old Joshua Wyatt. Their bodies were found in a rural area of Griffin along Jackson Road near the Butts County line on April 13, 2021, by firefighters and deputies.
After firefighters put out the flames, they noticed the bodies of Benford and Wyatt in the bed of the pickup truck along with other trash and debris, a release from the Spalding County Sheriff's Office previously said.
According to the sheriff's office, the pair were reported missing a few days before after they had gone to meet a man "to discuss a joint business venture and had not been seen or heard from since." Authorities said the business venture pertained to a performance venue.
RELATED: Man arrested, victims identified in discovery of two bodies in burned-out truck in Spalding County
The fire was so intense, deputies said, that it completely destroyed the truck's VIN number and there wasn't a tag. After the discovery was reported in the news media, the sheriff's office said tips flooded in, leading them to a house in Griffin. The residence had been vacated.
However, on Thursday, the families of Benford and Wyatt received justice after the jury returned verdicts of guilty on all counts against both men. The trial lasted eight days and over 600 pieces of evidence were considered by the jury, a Griffin Judicial Circuit court spokesperson said. Deliberations by the jury lasted two hours.
Both Lopez and Torres were sentenced to life without parole on charges of murder, armed robbery and arson, among other charges, the court's press release stated.
Carlos Benford's sister, Shinerra Benford, spoke with 11Alive just days after her brother's body was identified by authorities.
“I never in a million years thought that I would have to bury my brother – someone would do something so cruel to him. He didn’t not deserve that at all," Shinerra said, fighting back tears.
During the interview, she said the news of her brother's passing has been hard on their family and community.
"My brother was one of the most amazing people you would ever meet. To know him is to love him. He never met a stranger, always had a smile on his face," she said.
