Seminary charged with manslaughter

GUILDERLAND — Jason Seminary, 43, has been arrested for second-degree manslaughter, a felony, in the death of Kentish Bennett, 41, according to a release from the Guilderland Police who made the arrest on Dec. 26.

Guilderland Police had earlier put out a notice, saying they were looking for Seminary as “a person of interest” in the case.

Rotterdam Police stopped Seminary as he was driving in their town, the release said.

The manslaughter charge “stems from a domestic incident involving a physical altercation,” which took place at about 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 23 in Bennett’s Guilderland home, police said. Bennett was taken to Albany Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

Seminary was arraigned before Guilderland Town Justice John Bailey and remanded to Albany County’s jail without bail, the release said, noting the investigation was ongoing.

In the spring of 2009, a Jason L. Seminary, then 31 and an unemployed contractor, was arrested with a nightclub entertainer for five felonies: robbery, burglary, assault, grand larceny, and conspiracy, accused of breaking into a Knox home.

“Once inside, Seminary attacked the homeowner by wrapping a belt around his neck and then knocked him to the floor, where he punched him about the head and face,” said the Albany County Sheriff’s Office at the time. “There was a second male occupant in the home, whom he ordered to the floor, saying that he had a gun and would use it if he got up from the floor. Seminary ordered the second male to turn over his wallet, which Seminary ultimately stole.”

 

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