Police say blood, cleaning supplies and damage inside a home helped lead investigators to the victim’s boyfriend.
CARROLLTON, Texas — Investigators found blood, five mops, an empty bleach container and evidence that areas had been cleaned inside the home of a man accused of killing his girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit detailing the Carrollton homicide investigation.
The affidavit outlines the evidence police say connected 38-year-old Donny Benedict to the death of 41-year-old Vera Pitulic, whose body was found July 21 inside a vehicle along southbound Interstate 35E. Benedict has been charged with murder and remained in the Collin County Jail after his arrest. The charge is an allegation, and the case has not been decided in court.
Carrollton police and Carrollton Fire-Rescue responded after the North Texas Emergency Communications Center received a report of an unconscious person in a vehicle near the 2500 block of the interstate. First responders found Pitulic dead inside. Detectives then learned that she had been reported missing to Grapevine police on July 20, one day before her body was located.
Investigators believe Pitulic had been assaulted or killed before she was found, according to the affidavit. Authorities said she had several injuries, including injuries to her head that they considered consistent with an assault. Officials have not publicly released a complete account of when or how she died.
The affidavit says Pitulic and Benedict were last seen together July 18 after attending a pool party. Witnesses told investigators that the couple argued over Benedict’s accusation that Pitulic had been unfaithful. Pitulic’s phone location was turned off that evening, the document says.
Benedict initially denied being with Pitulic that night, according to the affidavit. Investigators later showed him doorbell-camera footage that appeared to show the two leaving Pitulic’s apartment together. Benedict then acknowledged they had been together but said they later went separate ways, according to news reports describing the document.
Police searched the vehicle where Pitulic was found and recovered a pink bathing suit she had reportedly worn on July 18. The clothing tested positive for blood, according to the affidavit. Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Benedict’s residence as they worked to trace Pitulic’s movements and determine where she was injured.
Inside the home, investigators saw five mops and noticed a hole in a wall, the affidavit says. Police reported finding blood on and below the damaged section. The document says the shape and location of the damage appeared consistent with one of Pitulic’s head injuries, though that assertion remains part of the prosecution’s allegations.
Investigators used a fluorescent examination to search for possible blood evidence and identified two areas where they believed blood had been cleaned, according to the affidavit. An empty bleach container was also recovered from a dumpster. Authorities have not publicly disclosed laboratory results for all items taken from the residence or explained whether additional forensic testing is pending.
A former girlfriend of Benedict told police that she saw the hole in the wall and believed it resembled the shape of a head, according to the affidavit. She also described past behavior by Benedict that she considered abusive and said he had stayed awake using the phone overnight on July 20. Her statements are witness allegations and have not been tested in court.
Evidence gathered by the Carrollton and Grapevine police departments led detectives to arrest Benedict on July 27, authorities said. Officials have not announced a motive, and no public information reviewed for this report identified an attorney who could comment on Benedict’s behalf.
The investigation remains active as authorities continue reviewing physical evidence and preparing the case for court. Police have not announced additional arrests or released details about Benedict’s next scheduled proceeding.
Author note: Last updated July 29, 2026.