Missing Texas Woman Found Dead — and Rideshare Driver Connected to Her Died by Suicide After Being Pulled Over

Amanda Stevenson of Victoria, Texas, went missing just days before Thanksgiving and her 20th birthday

The body of a 20-year-old Texas woman who went missing just before Thanksgiving was found in a creek on Tuesday, a day before a rideshare driver linked to the case of her disappearance took his own life, say authorities.

Amanda Stevenson of Victoria vanished last Tuesday, two days before Thanksgiving and three days before her 20th birthday, according to the Victoria Police Department.

Her mother reported her daughter missing to police at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

She then joined other family members in searching for Stevenson in Victoria and nearby Yoakum, the Victoria Advocate reports.

Her last known location was near Salem Road on Sunday, November 19, police said in a statement.

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Her cell phone was found locked without a known password, police said.

During the ensuing investigation, police quickly zeroed in on a “known associate” who worked for a ride-share service, police said in the statement.

On Monday, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Ruben San Miguel confirmed the identity of the associate as Kevin Bennetsen, 45, of Victoria, the Victoria Advocate, Crossroads Today and KHOU report.

The Department of Public Safety said authorities had found a connection between Bennetsen and the young woman’s disappearance, the Victoria Advocate reports.

On Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., Victoria County Sheriff’s Office received a report about human remains being found in a creek near a bridge off of Fordyce Road, near Patriot Park, Victoria County Sheriff Justin Marr said, the Victoria Advocate reports.

Detectives interviewed this man about Stevenson’s whereabouts, police said in the statement.

On Wednesday, investigators tried to reinterview him during a traffic stop, police said in the statement.

“During that traffic stop, he took his own life,” the statement said.

Detectives then began investigating Bennetsen and various locations he was recently known to frequent.

“Over twenty members of the department have searched a piece of property near the city of Yoakum with scent-sensitive dogs and drones several times with both consent from the cooperating spouse of the now-deceased associate and an additional search via a search warrant,” the VPD says in the statement.

“The public should avoid speculating what may have happened, creating a false narrative,” the VPD said in the statement.

Stevenson’s family believes she was likely with Bennetsen when she vanished, the Victoria Advocate reports.

Besides being a rideshare driver, Bennetsen worked as an elementary school teacher in various grades in the Victoria Independent School District from 2012 through 2014 and again in 2021 and 2022, school district records show, according to the Victoria Advocate.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Ruben San Miguel did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Anyone with information related to the disappearance of Amanda Stevenson is encouraged to contact Victoria Crime Stoppers at 361-572-4200.

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