Bennett Haeberle is an investigative reporter with NBC 5 Investigates. He joins NBC Chicago after most recently serving as Chief Investigative Reporter at WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio.
Prior to that, Bennett was an investigative reporter and fill-in anchor at WISH-TV in Indianapolis. He also spent 10 years reporting and anchoring the news in his home state of Kentucky, working at both WDRB-TV in Louisville and WTVQ-TV in Lexington.
Bennett is most proud of his investigative stories that have been credited with effecting change. His years’ worth of reporting on the abuse of Ohio children in congregate care facilities led to increased inspections - and later - the closure of one troubled facility. Child advocates have cited his work in a national campaign, which later served as a backbone for legislation being considered in Congress that would extend protections to those in care.
His reporting on failures within the Ohio parole system helped exposed how the state failed to adequately track ex-prisoners even while they were wearing GPS monitors. The reporting by Bennett and his colleagues led to a governor's task force being formed to investigate the inadequacies. State lawmakers also changed state law to create tougher sentencing guidelines for people convicted of violent crimes.
Bennett has been honored with two National Headliner Awards, several regional Emmys and a regional Edward R. Murrow award. He was also part of a news team honored with a National Edward R. Murrow for spot news for reporting on a commercial plane crash.
Bennett holds a B.A. in journalism and history from Indiana University.
When he's not reporting, you can find Bennett spending time with his family and friends – and probably running, swimming or cycling. He most recently qualified for and completed the Boston Marathon. He looks forward to qualifying for more.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Bennett has friends and family here in the Chicago area.
He and his wife Sarah have two daughters. They look forward to exploring all Chicago has to offer and becoming part of the community.
If you have an investigative story idea, you can email Bennett at bennett.haeberle@nbcuni.com or Facebook.com/BennettHaeberle-reporter
The Latest
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Illinois law requires hospitals treat sexual assault victims – but allows them to opt out
An Illinois law designed to ensure victims of sexual assault receive proper care inside hospitals also includes carve out that allows patients to be transferred if hospitals can’t provide services like rape kit exams, but it can have unintended consequences.
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88 Illinois hospitals failed to properly treat victims of sexual assault, NBC 5 Investigates found
Between 2018 and 2024, NBC 5 Investigates found 88 hospitals failed to properly treat victims of sexual assault, according to our review of thousands of pages of state health department inspection reports.
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FBI investigating a series of bomb threats at polling locations across the country
A series of bomb threats targeting polling locations across the country prompted evacuations and disrupted voting on Election Day in several states.
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Feds, watchdogs flag election-related threats, including those in Illinois
While election officials have ramped up efforts to combat misinformation and reassure voters the election is secure – election threats remain a concern, according to an NBC 5 Investigates’ review of police records and memos from federal agencies.
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NBC 5 survey: Local officials combat misinformation, anticipate secure election
Over the past two weeks, NBC 5 Investigates reached out to more than 100 election officials across Illinois, southern Wisconsin and parts of northwest Indiana to ask local election officials about the upcoming election, their preparedness and their concerns.
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How do scores of Chicagoans arrested for sex crimes stay off the sex offender registry once convicted?
When John heard the news on a recent Friday, it hit him hard: Elliott Nott, a former Chicago public schoolteacher and John’s former colleague, had been arrested and charged with three counts of child exploitation, after allegedly exposing himself to three girls – ages 10, 9, and 7.
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Mayor Johnson announces major transition: the end of Chicago's migrant mission
After two years and half a billion dollars spent, the city of Chicago’s migrant shelter system will close as we know it.
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Chicago spent more than $80K to renovate, furnish office for First Lady Johnson
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told reporters this week that “everything is on table,” including the potential layoff of city workers, which Johnson said he hopes to avoid, as the city grapples with how to address a nearly billion-dollar budget shortfall.
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Mayor Johnson inks $100 million increase for Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson side-stepped questions Thursday about a $100 million pay increase for Kansas-based company – Favorite Healthcare Staffing – which has staffed the city’s migrant shelters.
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Mayor Johnson rejects plan to keep ShotSpotter; company to remove gunshot sensors
A day after Mayor Brandon Johnson indicated he would veto a council effort aimed at keeping ShotSpotter – the controversial gunshot detection technology – the device’s parent company, SoundThinking, said it would begin the process of removing some 2,000 sensors from across Chicago beginning on Monday.
