Podcasts · Killer In The Family

Episode 74 - Allison and Marie-Josée Benitez

11 Jul 2025 · 29 min · Episode 74

In July 2013, 53-year-old Marie-Josée Benitez and her 19-year-old daughter Allison vanished without a trace from their home in Southern France. The last person to see them alive was Francisco Benitez — Marie-Josée’s estranged husband and Allison’s father. He claimed they’d left for a trip to Toulouse. They never came back.

What followed was a chilling chain of revelations. Francisco was already linked to the disappearance of another woman in 2004. Just weeks after his wife and daughter vanished, he took his own life. Then, investigators discovered traces of Allison’s blood in a freezer at the military barracks where Francisco worked.

Marie-Josée and Allison were never found. But the evidence pointed to one clear theory – that they had been killed by father and estranged husband Francisco.

This is the story of Allison and Marie-Josee Benitez.

Information and support

• Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans • Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) Home - AAFDA • Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid • National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247 • Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America • Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline

References

MISSING: Allison and Marie-Josee Benitez | Crime Junkie Podcast

Allison and Marie-José Benitez: What Happened to Missing Mom & Daughter?

A missing beauty queen's father with a dark past

Disappearance of Allison and Marie-Josee Benitez: Crime Junkie investigates suspicious behavior of Francisco Benitez

Special Envoy: "The Benitez Affair, the Legionnaire's Enigma"

The father's freezer at the center of all attention - Disparues de Perpignan

Disappeared from Perpignan: Benitez took his freezer to the Legion

France gripped by disappearance of missing beauty queen and her mother following suicide of former legionnaire father | The Independent | The Independent

Chief Warrant Officer Benitez left a bloody trail - Bluestar Forensic

Credits

Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton

Produced by: Clare Laxton

Killer in the family podcast (buzzsprout.com)

Music from Pixabay.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Links in the notes 17

• https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
• https://aafda.org.uk/
• https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
• https://www.mhanational.org/
• https://www.thehotline.org/
• https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/missing-allison-marie-josee-benitez/
• https://thecinemaholic.com/allison-and-marie-jose-benitez-found-or-missing-are-they-dead-or-alive/
• https://www.thelocal.fr/20130808/the-dark-past-of-a-missing-beauty-queens-father#google_vignette
• https://www.dailycrime.com/disappearance-of-allison-and-marie-josee-benitez-crime-junkie-investigates-suspicious-behavior-of-francisco-benitez/
• https://www.nouvelobs.com/la-selection-teleobs/20140528.OBS8752/envoye-special-affaire-benitez-l-enigme-du-legionnaire.html
• https://www.parismatch.com/actu/faits-divers/le-congelateur-du-pere-au-centre-de-toutes-les-attentions-disparues-de-perpignan-56992
• https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2013/08/30/01016-20130830ARTFIG00230-disparues-de-perpignan-quand-benitez-transportait-son-congelateur.php
• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-gripped-by-disappearance-of-missing-beauty-queen-and-her-mother-following-suicide-of-former-legionnaire-father-8752866.html
• https://www.bluestar-forensic.com/press-articles/chief-warrant-officer-benitez-left-a-bloody-trail/
• https://killerinthefamilypodcast.buzzsprout.com/
• https://art19.com/privacy
• https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info