Dead woman tied to cinder block in pond ID'd as pre-K teacher

Ryan Stevyn Benjamin

POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have identified the woman found tied to a cinder block in a popular swimming hole near Philadelphia as a pre-K teacher.

The Chester County District Attorney's office says 24-year-old Ryan Stevyn Benjamin, of Pottstown, was identified by her tattoos and rings.

District Attorney Tom Hogan says the investigation continues and urges anyone who had contact with Benjamin over Memorial Day weekend to contact police.

Hogan says Benjamin was dead before being dumped in the pond, but the cause of death is unclear. No water was found in her lungs and her body showed no signs of trauma.

He says she was a graduate of Juniata College and was a sociable, outgoing woman. Her body was found Monday.

Children had been swimming in the East Coventry Township pond Sunday afternoon, so her body had been deposited sometime after that.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.