The latest episode of Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins, titled “Unlucky in Love,” examines the tragic murder of firefighter Ben Amato. The case, which initially went cold, takes a surprising turn when investigators discover a critical clue and an unexpected link to another homicide, exposing a sinister plot.
On November 16, 2001, Pennsylvania State Police troopers were dispatched to the home of 52-year-old Benjamin Amato in the Poconos Mountains to conduct a welfare check. Concerned friends and neighbors had reported not seeing Amato for several days, despite his car being parked in the driveway. Upon their arrival, the troopers made a grim discovery: Amato was found dead at the bottom of the stairs inside his home.
The investigation initially theorized that Amato may have fallen down the stairs or died by suicide, given his history of clinical depression and previous suicide attempts. However, a more thorough examination of the crime scene and an autopsy report revealed otherwise. Officers found a boot print at the top of the stairs that did not match Amato’s sneakers and an orange stain on the walls, indicating the presence of mace. The autopsy confirmed that Amato had been brutally beaten to death, likely with a baton or a baseball bat.
The case took another twist when a separate double murder provided a breakthrough, leading to the arrest and conviction of Amato’s killer.
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins: Unlucky in Love airs on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. on Oxygen True Crime.
