Anonymous Letter Helps Cops Arrest Texas Woman For Boyfriend's Murder 26 Years Later

A Texas woman has been arrested for allegedly murdering her boyfriend more than two decades ago, thanks to an anonymous letter received by police.

Jade Benning was 22 years old when her then-boyfriend, Christopher Hervey, was found dead in their apartment in January 1996. The woman initially balmed an intruder for the murder.

Benning and Hervey were living together in an apartment in Santa Ana, California, at the time. Police went to the home after receiving a call about a Black male forcing his way into the couple's apartment and stabbing Hervey multiple times, the Santa Ana Police Department said in a statement Tuesday.

Hervey, who was also 22 years old at the time, had stab wounds on his chest and body, the New York Post reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Benning gave "general statements" to investigators after the incident and claimed a Black man broke in and stabbed her boyfriend to death while he was asleep. She said she had a fight with the killer and suffered a minor cut to her hand, according to an NBC report.

Neighbors told investigators that they heard a loud argument coming from inside the couple's apartment for about 15 minutes before Hervey's stabbed body was found, the police department said in the statement.

"Detectives worked diligently on the case; however, the case went cold," police added.

Benning moved to Las Vegas in 2001 and then to Austin.

The turning point in the cold case came when Santa Ana Police Department officials received an anonymous letter in January 2020, implicating Benning in Hervey's murder, Law&Crime reported.

"Homicide Cold Case Detective Gibbons examined the case and conducted extensive follow-up to include forensic testing was completed, as well as consulting with forensic experts," read the statement.

Investigators found sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Benning. She was arrested Tuesday near her home in Austin. Footage of her arrest was shared online.

Police said Benning will be extradited to California to "answer to the murder allegations" and will be held on a $1 million bail.