Gerard Benderoth (February 1, 1969 – March 8, 2017) was an American policeman and strongman.
He was a New York City Police officer for more than a decade, and later a local police officer in Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York. He had vied for years to try to win the title "World's Strongest Man".
Standing 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) tall, he weighed 325 pounds (147 kg) and, before crowds of up to 20,000, he had done everything from carrying 450-pound stones to deadlifting 825-pound cars.[1] Benderoth was also a boxer, his skills qualified him for the 1996 Hudson Valley boxing team at the Empire State Games. In 1995, he was a New York Golden Gloves super heavy weight 220-pound finalist, losing by decision.
He was a football player at North Rockland High School, later attending Westchester Community College and Troy State in Alabama.[2]
Benderoth died on March 8, 2017, age 48, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when he was pulled over by FBI agents and local police officers just a short drive from his home.[3][4] The FBI reportedly planned to arrest Benderoth on a sealed indictment related to the Tartaglione multiple murder and drug conspiracy case.[5]
Benderoth lived in Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, with his wife and four children.[4]
Benderoth, who worked a stint at the Haverstraw PD after retiring from the NYPD in 2005, was facing undisclosed charges in connection to the quadruple murder allegedly carried out by Tartaglione