05.03.2022 | 7:00 PM | SANTA ANA – A female suspect was arrested in connection with a 1996 cold case murder, police announced Tuesday.
Jade Benning was arrested by U.S. Marshall’s agents and Santa Ana police detectives near her home in Austin, Texas today at around 2:20 PM.
The arrest was made in connection with fatal stabbing of 22-year-old Christopher Hervey in a Santa Ana apartment on Jan. 4, 1996 around 3:00 AM.
Hervey, Benning’s girlfriend, was found stabbed inside the apartment he shared with her. Neighbors had reported hearing a loud argument inside the apartment for about 15 minutes on the night of the murder but the case went cold.
Sometime in January 2020 an anonymous letter was sent to Santa Ana police with information implicating Benning in the Hervey’s murder.
Forensic testing and follow-up investigations resulted in sufficient evidence to secure a $1 million warrant for Benning’s arrest.
At the time news reports indicated that Benning claimed to have woken up to Hervey struggling with an assault. Benning then claimed to have tried to intervene, resulting in a cut to her arm.
A witness also reported seeing the supposed assailant fleeing the location, past news reports indicated.
