Girlfriend Of Homicide Victim Arrested In Santa Ana Cold Case: Report

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Orange County authorities made a break in a cold case after they arrested a woman Tuesday in connection with stabbing her boyfriend to death 26 years ago, authorities said.

Jade Benning, 48, was arrested in Austin, Texas and is currently awaiting extradition to Orange County to face homicide allegations, the Santa Ana Police Department announced Wednesday.

The incident happened when Christopher Hervey, 22, was found stabbed to death in his apartment on Jan. 4, 1996. Hervey shared the apartment on 2205 N. Broadway Street with his girlfriend, Jade Benning.

While police investigated, a 22-year-old Benning told officers that an intruder broke into the apartment while they slept around 3 a.m., the Orange County Register reported at the time. According to the source, Benning told police it was an unknown assailant who stabbed Hervey, who was found with several wounds to his chest and body.

While detectives worked to identify Hervey's killer, the case went cold until 2020. During that time, Benning moved to Las Vegas, before ultimately relocating to Texas.

In January 2020, the Santa Ana Police Department received an anonymous tip that reported Benning was involved in the homicide, a news release said.

"Homicide Cold Case Detective Gibbons examined the case and conducted extensive follow-up to include forensic testing," A spokesperson for the Santa Ana Police Department said. "Ultimately, sufficient evidence was collected to obtain a criminal complaint and a $1 million warrant was issued for the arrest of Jade Benning."

Benning was arrested near her home in Austin by agents from the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force while SAPD detectives were present.

Benning will be extradited back to Orange County.