Ashley Paige Benton was born in 1990 in Houston, Texas. She attended Lamar High School, where she became associated with a local gang known as the "Crazy Crew." Despite previous disciplinary issues, including fighting and possession of weapons at school, Benton had no prior arrest record before the incident.

On June 6, 2006, a confrontation between the "Crazy Crew" and the MS-13 gang occurred at Ervan Chew Park in Houston, Texas. During the altercation, Benton stabbed 15-year-old Gabriel Granillo, a member of MS-13, resulting in his death. Benton was arrested at her residence shortly after the incident.

In 2007, Benton was tried as an adult for murder. The trial concluded with a hung jury, leading to a mistrial. In December 2007, Benton accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She received five years of deferred adjudication probation, was required to perform 300 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $4,000 towards Granillo's funeral expenses. Upon successfully completing two years of probation, a judge terminated her probation early in 2009, and the charges were dismissed.

Following the completion of her probation, Benton expressed gratitude and a desire to move forward with her life. She changed her surname, relocated to another state, and started a family, seeking a fresh start away from the events of her past.