Woman Arrested After Mysterious Letter Reopens Case Of Murdered Boyfriend

Authorities arrested a woman recently after an anonymous letter reopened a cold case involving her dead boyfriend.

Jade Benning is now a suspect in the 1996 murder of Christopher Hervey, according to the International Business Times. Authorities received a mysterious letter accusing Benning of the murder in January 2020, which led investigators to revisit forensic evidence and consult with experts. The Santa Ana Police Department in Texas didn't reveal what evidence led them to the woman's arrest on May 3, but officers said it was enough to bring her into custody.

In January 1996, Hervey was found dead inside a Los Angeles apartment he and Benning shared. Authorities say he suffered multiple stab wounds to his torso. At the time, Benning told cops an unidentified Black man broke into their apartment and attacked Hervey and tried to save her partner. According to her neighbors, they overheard a loud argument in the apartment prior to the stabbing, police say.

Officers, who described Benning's statements as "general" and vague, initially suspected her of being involved with the homicide, but they didn't have enough evidence at the time to pin it on the woman. She has since moved out of California and now lives in Austin, Texas, IBT learned.

Santa Ana Police say Benning is currently being held in a Travis County jail while awaiting extradition to California, where she will face murder charges.