Trial Ordered for Kensington Man In Girlfriend's Brutal Murder

A Kensington man has been held for trial for the murder of his girlfriend around July 1st and another non-fatal stabbing outside a South Street bar five months earlier.

KYW's Tony Hanson reports that according to prosecutor Jodi Lobel, 23-year-old defendant Stephen Benford has confessed to the murder of live-in girlfriend Gina Schickling, 22 (above):
"He admitted then to punching her about 10 times in the face with his fist. And then he admitted to bending over her with a switchblade knife and stabbing her in the neck several times."
Lobel says medical evidence shows she was stabbed nearly 60 times.

Lobel says Benford admitted putting the body in a trash can and dumping it in woods in North Jersey.
Benford's confession led police to the body.  At the time of the murder, Benford was a suspect but not yet charged with the South Street stabbing in February.

(Family photo provided)