‘He will never be convicted’: Man awaiting trial in slaying of NLV tattoo artist dies in custody

A man awaiting trial in the slaying of his girlfriend, a North Las Vegas tattoo artist, died in custody on Monday, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Markeem Benson, 30, was pronounced dead at High Desert State Prison, authorities said. While on probation for an attempted robbery charge, Benson was arrested in connection with the slaying of his girlfriend, Renise “NeNe” Wolfe, 33.

When Benson died, he was serving a two-to-five-year prison sentence for the robbery and was also facing murder and gun possession charges in Wolfe’s death.

In January, Benson’s father, Eric Benson, testified before a grand jury that on Dec. 22, 2024, his son called him in a frantic state, saying he had done “something bad” and that Wolfe was gone.

“He was hysterical, crying, and just kept saying, ‘Pop, I messed up,’” Eric Benson said, according to transcripts from the proceeding.

Markeem Benson’s brother, Melvin Irvey, also testified. He told the jury that the night before, he had picked up Benson from a party he had attended with Wolfe. Both were “overly drunk,” Irvey said, and ended up going home together.

Investigators later found Wolfe’s body in her apartment the same day Benson called his father and brother. Police said that Wolfe was dressed only in a sports bra and socks, and had been shot four times in the back of the head.

A detective testified that based on the bullet trajectories and surrounding evidence, the shooter was likely standing over Wolfe when she was killed.

Benson’s relatives could not be immediately reached for comment. The Clark County Coroner’s office has not yet shared Benson’s cause of death.

Tracy Coleman, Wolfe’s mother, said that both the Nevada Victims of Crime Program and the detective on the case called to inform her of Benson’s death, but did not provide additional details.

She said that, exactly a year after her daughter’s death, she still couldn’t bring herself to put up decorations for Christmas, despite it being the family’s favorite holiday to celebrate together.

“He took my daughter, and he changed all of our lives. We will never be the same ever again,” Coleman said. “And he will never be convicted.”

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.