Woman Charged with Murder After Drugging Casino Patron to Rob Him

Incident at ilani Casino Hotel Resort

A tragic event unfolded at the ilani Casino Hotel Resort in Ridgefield where a man lost his life following an attempted robbery. Raylin Marie Benzie approached a 38-year-old man named Arslan while at the casino. Surveillance footage shows the two leaving the gaming floor together and heading to the 10th floor where the man had a hotel room.

They spent about two hours inside the room before Benzie left alone briefly. She then returned with another unidentified man, and all three stayed in the room for an additional ten minutes.

Fatal Drugging During the Encounter

By the time the others had left, Arslan was found incapacitated and later died, likely due to being drugged. Hotel staff discovered him unconscious and immediately called the police. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Benzie was identified as the woman who accompanied Arslan to his room and subsequently introduced the other man. She denied any involvement in his death or awareness that drugs, specifically fentanyl, had been administered.

The woman claimed Arslan had offered her money in exchange for sex, which led to her leaving the room initially. However, police obtained communications suggesting Benzie was involved in something more serious. She had sent messages admitting to doing something “stupid” that could result in a lengthy prison sentence.

The second man was later questioned and revealed that Benzie initially intended to use a date rape drug. Finding that she did not have the intended substance, she switched to fentanyl, which ultimately caused the man’s death.

Evidence Suggests Benzie’s Awareness

Further testimony included Benzie admitting to a friend that the victim had “probably overdosed” and was “going to die.” She has since been released on bail but faces several serious charges, including first-degree murder, controlled substances homicide, first-degree robbery, second-degree theft, and poisoning.

This is not Benzie’s first run-in with the law; records show she has a lengthy criminal history spanning over 15 years. Should she be convicted of the murder charge, she could be facing a lifetime prison sentence.