Anna Benson's Sentencing Brings End to Unfortunate Saga with Ex-Mets Pitcher

Anna Benson was sentenced to 15 years probation after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and a weapons charge in conjunction with an attack on her estranged husband, former New York Mets pitcher Kris Benson. Judge C. LaTain Kell delivered the ruling on Tuesday.

Per Christian Red of the New York Daily News, authorities say the 37-year-old broke into her husband's house wearing a bulletproof vest, armed with a gun, ammunition and a metal baton. Kris Benson escaped the attack, and Anna Benson was later arrested for the crime.

This wasn't Benson's first brush with the law. The former model and reality TV star was once implicated in a murder. In 1996, when she was 19 years old, Benson—then known as Anna Warren—was sought by police in the murder of 18-year-old Michael Evans Jr., per Rich Schapiro of the New York Daily News.

She was believed to be a co-conspirator in the murder with then-boyfriend Paul Dejongh, who was also 19. Charges in that case were ultimately dropped against Benson, but Dejongh was convicted of second-degree murder.

He was sentenced to 21 years in prison, where he died. This is not a feel-good story.

Benson is now set to undergo treatment for psychiatric problems at a treatment center in Hunt, Texas called La Hacienda. One can only hope she gets a handle on her life. She and Kris Benson have three children together.

Hopefully this represents rock bottom and the long probation sentence will serve as the ultimate wake-up call for a seemingly troubled human being. 

The events of the past year are at least a precautionary tale for young athletes entering relationships. In addition to that, it should also serve as encouragement for those suffering from mental illness to obtain help before their demons get the best of them.