OSBI Draws Renewed Attention to Local Cold Cases

GEARY – The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced last week it has identified a woman whose remains were found near Bridgeport, in far northern Caddo County, more than 25 years ago.

Katrina Bentivegna was only 20 years old when her dismembered body was found west of the small town on April 24, 1995. Her feet, hands and head had been removed, making Bentivegna nearly impossible to identify – at the time.

“We pursue all options available at the time for victims,” said OSBI director Ricky Adams, “and sometimes we have to wait for technological advances like forensic genetic genealogy.

The agency explained in a news release that its Cold Case Unit submitted Bentivegna’s DNA to Parabon Nanolabs in March 2021. Parabon submitted possible genetic matches in August of last year.

“Agents then contacted possible relatives requesting DNA samples to compare to Bentivegna’s,” the release says. “Recently, OSBI agents were notified the comparisons were a match and Bentivegna’s family was notified that she was positively identified.”

Bentivegna, whose maiden name was Burton, was originally from Colorado. She arrived in Oklahoma in 1993 and lived in Midwest City, officials said.

She was married in November 1993 and is survived by a son.

Her skull was found in 1996; OSBI agents eventually confirmed through DNA comparison that it belonged to the then-unidentified body found the year before. The OSBI worked on the case for years with the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the FBI, it said.

“The family of Katrina Kay (Burton) Bentivegna is very appreciative of the hard work and countless hours of time the teams from the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation put in to help identify the body of our beloved mother, daughter, sister, cousin, niece and friend,” the family said. “At this time, we request no contact or inquiries.”

Bentivegna’s unnamed son told the agency he appreciates “all the hard work” they put in to identify his mother. “There have been many unanswered questions over the past 27 years but now I have closure in knowing what happened to my mom,” he said.

Despite the identification, no one has been charged with Bentivegna’s murder. “Now we continue our pursuit of justice for Katrina,” Adams said.

Anyone with information about the killing can contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or email tips to tips@osbi.ok.gov. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

Geary homicide still unsolved

The OSBI last week also asked the public for help to solve a 2015 homicide that took place in Geary.

Edward “Ed” Foreman went missing in early March 2015. His Hummer truck was later discovered hidden by the South Canadian River, but Foreman’s body was never found.

The OSBI says Foreman was killed inside his residence southwest of Geary upon returning from work on March 5, 2015. His body was then removed and dumped at an unknown location, the agency says.

Media reports at the time said an unknown man was seen that day driving Foreman’s Hummer; the OSBI created a sketch of that man to assist in the investigation. He was described as a white or biracial male about 30 years old with dark eyes and hair.

Anyone with information about Foreman’s case can contact the OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017 or email tips@osbi.ok.gov.

Included are contemporary media accounts from local newspapers about the case: