Woman arrested in Texas for 1996 stabbing death of her boyfriend in California — after police receive an "anonymous letter"
A woman was arrested this week in Texas for the 1996 stabbing death of her boyfriend in Southern California, authorities said Wednesday. The arrest came two years after police received an anonymous letter implicating Jade Benning as being involved in the murder.
Benning, 48, was taken into custody Tuesday near her home in Austin, Texas, police in Santa Ana, California said in a statement. It wasn't immediately known if she has an attorney.
Police responding to reports of a break-in on Jan. 4, 1996 found Christopher Harvey with multiple stab wounds in his upper torso at the Santa Ana apartment he shared with Benning, the statement said. Harvey, 22, later died of his injuries.
Neighbors told police they'd heard a loud argument inside the apartment. Benning was interviewed by detectives and "made general statements about the incident," but she was never charged.
The case went cold until January 2020, when investigators received an anonymous letter implicating Benning in the slaying, police said.
A cold-case homicide detective reopened the case and ordered forensic testing. Benning was ultimately identified as a suspect and a $1,000,000 warrant was issued for her arrest.
Benning had moved to Las Vegas in 2001 and later relocated to Texas.
She will face extradition to California to face a possible murder charge.
