Church agrees to pay in Bennett settlement

47 ABC has received a major update in the civil lawsuit against Danny Tice and the Bayshore Community Church in Millsboro, Del. A superior court judge has approved a settlement agreement in favor of the family of murdered Millsboro mother, Nicole Bennett.

Because of a confidentiality agreement and the judge’s order to have the case sealed, the family and their attorney tell 47 ABC they cannot talk about the amount of money the church agreed to pay. However, several local newspapers are reporting the settlement could hover around a half a million dollars.

Kevin Bennett initially filed the lawsuit against the pastor and the church, alleging that church leaders knew about Matthew Burton’s past conviction of a sex offense, and allowed him to work another two weeks, but apparently failed to inform Nicole.

Burton at the time was a custodian at Bayshore Community Church. Investigators say both Burton and were working at the church the night she disappeared.

Burton is now in custody in Delaware, awaiting trial for Nicole’s kidnapping, rape, and murder.