ROBERTSON COUNTY, Tenn (WTVF) — More than 20 years after Jennifer Wix and her toddler daughter Adrianna disappeared without a trace from Robertson County, the family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking accountability when criminal charges have failed to materialize.
Jennifer, a single mother, and her 2-year-old Adrianna were last seen in 2004 in the Owens Chapel community. What began as a missing persons case was later ruled a homicide, but no arrests have ever been made despite multiple searches and investigations.
"I believe with all of my heart that my daughter was trying to take her daughter and leave that situation. And that she was stopped," said Kathy Nale, Jennifer's mother.
Jennifer was living with her boyfriend, Joey Benton, and his parents, Joseph and Cynthia Benton, at the time of her disappearance. Nale believes her daughter was trying to escape an abusive relationship when she and Adrianna vanished.
Jennifer had made plans to leave the home and move in with her family, but she never arrived.
"I believe all three of the people in that house are involved, and I believe that they were killed," Nale said.
Investigators have searched the Benton home multiple times, most recently in 2024. Joseph Benton Sr. was later arrested on weapons charges after a previous domestic violence case. Court documents showed Benton Sr. possessed a 20-year-old electronic photograph of a minor engaged in sexual activity.
In 2025, while out of jail, investigators found his leg near Sulphur Fork Creek in Springfield.
"I believe with all my heart that it's all tied to my girl's case," Nale said.
After having Jennifer and Adrianna legally declared deceased, the family filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the people they believe killed them.
"This wrongful death suit to me, the most important thing is accountability. I want someone held accountable for what happened to my kids. That's the bottom line," Nale said.
The lawsuit will force those named to provide statements and testimony.
"In this lawsuit, they're going to have to talk. You know, they've got to give their statements. They've got to tell me what they have to say for themselves," Nale said.
The wrongful death lawsuit will move forward in Robertson County. The family hopes it will not only bring answers but help change laws that have kept justice out of reach for 21 years.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation remains the lead agency on the case and says the investigation remains active and ongoing. The family hopes the wrongful death suit can lead to new evidence that could help in the criminal case, possibly even another search of the Benton property after the leg discovery.
"And so in the last couple of years, it's kind of felt like going back to 2004 and reliving it all over," Nale said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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