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Three murders were committed at the Benbow Hotel & Resort the weekend of March 6 when entertainers from Laughter Unlimited Inc. of Las Vegas came to town. Husband and wife, Eric and (D.D.) Jayne Post have been doing this for 19 years and enjoy their trips to the Benbow Hotel & Resort where they put on shows twice a year, in March and November.

The evening’s events began with a Champagne reception in the lobby at 6 p.m., followed by an interactive comedy dinner show experience, where the victims and the villain are planted among the unsuspecting guests. D.D. started things off by getting everyone in the mood for intrigue and sleuthing to discover whom among us was the murdering villain. Knowing that some of us were soon to die made getting into the dining room and eating a pressing matter.

The four-course dinner prepared and served by the Benbow staff was outstanding, with soup, salad, Cornish game hens, short ribs, and a delectable berry dessert with ice cream on top. Delicious wines were also served with each course.

And, if this wasn’t enough, the entertainment was amazing. It all began when Sal Minella, played by Garberville’s very own John Dowd, burst into the lobby with a gunshot and holding the first clue of the evening, a business card, in his other hand. He was quickly shot dead where he stood by Police Detective Eric and dropped to the floor bleeding from his wounds.

Once the crowd was seated in the dining room, the festivities continued when D.D. and Eric proceeded to instruct various guests about their required duties for the evening. This included picking out “strong bodies” to be the pallbearers for those of us who were about to die. Cap Roundtree was selected as the official guardian of the clues, which were to accumulate on the table just outside the dining room door. It was his responsibility to make sure no one tampered with the evidence. He managed to carry out this very important job in between helping to carry out the dead through the kitchen doors.

The second victim would be Alan, who would die as a result of a plastic bug zapper coming into contact with his supposed pacemaker. He too was quickly removed from the dining room floor by the chosen pallbearers after the appointed nurse tried unsuccessfully to revive him. She really wasn’t very good at her job, which would become apparent when the next victim also died.

After more food and wine and a short break to allow participants to search the room for the villain, the third victim, Marc, began choking and hit the floor dead as could be, an apparent victim of poisoned wine. After the nurse put her foot on his chest to do CPR, his lifeless body was hauled away.

Tensions were high in the room and after another short break and more food and more wine, the scorecards, which we had received upon arrival in the dining room, were collected. Participants were asked to write down the victims’ names, their cause of death and whom we believed the murderer was. A few minutes later up jumped the culprit gun in hand. It was Eric, the minister’s son, who was seated next to his lovely wife, Cory. Police Detective Eric quickly dispatched justice and Eric hit the floor dying of his injuries. The mystery was solved and everyone applauded the cast of characters as the evening came to a close.

Another murder mystery weekend will take place in November. Keep your eyes open for more information as the date approaches. It was truly an exciting night of great wine, great food, drama, intrigue, murder, and good old-fashioned comedy.

Also, if you are planning a trip to Las Vegas, check out D.D. and Eric at Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel where they have an ongoing show titled Marriage Can Be Murder. You can also find them on the web at marriagecanbemurder.com.

REDWOOD TIMES PHOTOS BY SUSAN GARDNER

1. Armed with a handgun and a business card with a clue written on the back, Sal Minella (a.k.a. Garberville resident John Dowd) was the first victim at the Murder Mystery event held on March 6 at the Benbow Hotel & Resort.

2. Sal is shot dead when Police Detective Eric charges into the room, saving us all from possible death.

3. The second victim, Alan, was electrocuted when a bug zapper came into contact with his pacemaker.

4. Police Detective Eric interviews Cap Roundtree (a.k.a. Garberville resident Mike Gardner) regarding what he saw during the second murder. Cap was designated as the official clue checker and one of the pallbearers.

5. The amazing cast of characters and victims included audience members from left to right: Laughter Unlimited Inc. co-owner D.D. (a.k.a. Jayne Post), murder victim Alan; sound technician Troy; police detective and Laughter Unlimited Inc. co-owner Eric Post; Alan’s wife; and wife, Laurie, of murder victim Marc. The ultimate murderer, Eric, is shown kneeling with his weapon of choice, with lovely wife, Cory, showing her support after his identity was revealed.