Alexander County couple charged with embezzling from veteran's groups

TAYLORSVILLE, NC — The Alexander County Sheriff's Office has charged a man and his girlfriend with embezzling money from three veteran's groups.

Deputies began investigating when the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 84 reported its treasurer James Marion Benfield had taken $5,800 between August 2017 and May 29.

"I just couldn't believe it," veteran Ron Tucker said. "It was like someone woke me up from a bad dream or something, because he seemed like a real nice guy."

Detectives learned Benfield was also an officer in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion, both in Alexander County. After looking over their records, both of those groups also found money was missing.

"It's heartbreaking because we try to do all in the community that we can for veterans, for someone to come along and take that kind of money from us is devastating," veteran Sean Bennett said.

Many transactions were ATM withdrawals and Benfield allegedly used checks from the DAV to pay his own personal bills.

"Can't understand it. Can't believe it." VFW Commander Terry Harrington said. "Someone you trust with so much because we do for so many in the county, and it's like stabbing them in the back on the battlefield."

Deputies charged the 65-year-old Benfield with three counts of embezzlement. Deputies say his girlfriend, 46-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzy” Dixon, also admitted taking money for personal use. She's now charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit embezzlement.

Dixon is a bus driver for the Alexander County School District at Alexander Central High School. The school district reported Dixon is still employed by the district as a driver as her charges do not relate to her job and they do not see a risk for the students.

Bond for both was set at $15,000.