Carter's phone:Well, damn. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. Surveillance footage from the Hulen Mall captured Cervantes trying to break into the American Eagle store on the morning of November 29 with Harris stolen keys, unaware that the locks had been changed. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. At the apartment, detectives found a box containing a taser in the trash, strands of duct tape, and a damaged deadbolt lock. Police believed they were used for practice as theywerelabeled lock picking practice lock.. The Prosecution believed that the original plan was to kidnap Ashlea using a pistol to threaten her and kill her at a different location but she put up a fight when they entered her apartment and they killed her there instead. Jeff, Wallace E. Hood Jr., an arson investigator, told the Court that, multiple origins of the fire, including in the bed, on Ashleas body, and in the closet. , updated Filed: She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The two disappeared after the theft and were not arrested until police tracked them down on Dec. 6. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. Police searched their apartment. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. Police also found a damaged deadbolt lock, phone, a walkie talkie and a Buck knife with a, a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp still, inside the package and a kitchen knife. They believed that Carter and Clarencekilled Ashlea as they knew she had the keys for the safe and the plan was to take the keysand go to the American Eagle store to steal the tens of thousands of dollars they knew would be in the safe after Black Friday. Detective Cedillo went back to Cervantez apartment and found her in the laundry room this time wearing pink scrubs. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Saturday Tarrant County Sheriffs arrested 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez. From what he could make out it was a female lying face down on the floor in front of the bed. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. The Court also heardpolicefoundlatitude and longitude coordinates on the cell phones. They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Both are held on a $100,000 bond. Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. They are not hiding in shadows. Chris Cravey had gotten all the locks changed upon hearing about Ashleas murder. SHARE NEXT UP Young Woman in the Center of a Murder | For My Man S6/EP27 | Airdate: Nov 29, 2021 <span>Runtime: 00:01:30</span> She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. Where Are Carter Cervantez and David Mallory Today? Update The following opinions cover similar topics: CourtListener is a project of Free (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. It was the Prosecution's case that Carter and Clarencehad a couple of different reasons to want to harm Ashlea. He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Cervantez received life in prison without the possibility of parole. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! However, things went awry after she hired a teen employee named Clarence David Mallory Jr., then 19, and started dating him, as per local reports. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. A. loaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial this week on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on Nov. 28, 2014, the day after Thanksgiving, known commercially as Black Friday. At Clarence's Trial, he claimed that he was not involved in Ashlea's murder but the Jury also did not believe him and he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Read More: Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? He was able to unlock the trunk of Mallorys Cadillac using keys found in the black Infiniti. The surveillance video from the front of the American Eagle store showed that at around 2amonthe 29th of November, someone with a covered face knelt down next to the lock on the gate and attempted to unlock and raise the gate.They were unsuccessful as the locks had been changed. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Her lover, David, continued working at the Amarillo store but began to miss shifts regularly. Chris Cravey later found out that the key that was used to unlock the safe had been left unattended on a table in an area that Cervantez was folding clothes the day before. There are predators everywhere. Police asked Mallory to see his drivers license which he told them he did not have on him. One neighbor, Steven Lee, told police that he had a cigarette on his balcony at around 6.30am that morning and saw a car parked outside. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Carter Carol Cervantez. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. She was the one that you wanted to like you because if you got on her bad side there was no coming back from it. a plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. However, the police arrested David in the mall parking area after finding he carried no license, and officers went to their apartment and brought Carter in for questioning. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. The locks at American Eagle were for precautionary reasons, Cedillo told Snapped.. Our district manager basically gave her the option to quit or to get transferred, said Groen. The couple bound Harris, brutally beat her and burned her body and apartment building in order to take the woman's store keys and steal $50,000. They told authorities Harris usually left her keys on the kitchen counter, and that her home and car keys were on the same keychain as the keys to the American Eagle store where she worked. Cervantez v. State, No. 02-16-00224-CR | Casetext Search + Citator Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. Ashlea Harris - Chilling Crimes Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. Chris was in the parking lot and had been talking to Alexis Torres, who was the last person to talk to Ashlea Harris. He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Documents: Hulen Mall employee strangled by former co-workers Cervantez claimed that the grave was not for Ashlea Harris, but for her. When he left for work around 7:30 am the car was still there. Ashlea identified Clarence as the person who took the money from the safe from the surveillance footage. Prosecutors say Cervantez and her. At Carter's Trial, her Defense was that she was not involved in Ashlea's death. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. In reviewing the malls video surveillance Detective Cedillo saw Cervantez enter the mall wearing the same clothing he had seen her leave her apartment in. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. One of her former co-workers, Leticia Groen, explained, They werent supposed to be dating because she controlled his pay, she controlled how much he worked, and she would just give him more preferential treatment. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. Examiners Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. After Carters two-door black Infiniti G35 was identified to be on the scene by witnesses and officers followed the couple to the mall the next morning. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. She workedas an assistant managerin an American Eagle store in the Hulen Mall. He testified that when he entered the apartment, it, was full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Fort Worth Police Detective Jerry Cedillo was staking out the apartment on the morning of November 29 when he saw Cervantes and Mallory get in her car and drive to the Hulen Mall. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. The Court heard about Ashlea's injuries. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. | Articles She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. He testified that the presence ofpetechiae in Ashleas eyes reflected asphyxia or strangulation and that afractured cricoid is: the least common place wesee fractures in asphyxia or strangulation-type deaths because it consists of cartilagethat is pliable.". Zach Shallcross Struggles to Watch Himself Dancing Terribly on The Bachelor, Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, Alison Brie on Sex Scenes: 'We Are Actors, This Is Our Job'. She came from a blended family. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. (Joyce Marshall)</p> Author: WFAA Staff Published:. In May 2016, 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantes was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to The Dallas Morning News. There were extensive text messages between the two as they watched the store. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A woman charged in connection to the death of a former co-worker who was beaten, bound, strangled and set afire has been found guilty. It was a black Infiniti G35 with a faded toll sticker on its roof. 23:46 GMT 24 Aug 2017 Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Two arrests made in Fort Worth murder case | wfaa.com She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. rely on donations for our financial security. The investigators hypothesized setting the residence on fire had been an abrupt change of plans. Chris looked at Clarence'spersonnel fileanddiscovered thatwhen Carterhired him, she changed his Social Security number and his name in the system so that it would not be detected or show up any red flags. The scream was followed by a loud thud and hecould hear labored breathing. | Store Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. Carter Carol Cervantez v. The State of Texas Case Number: 02-16-00224-CR Judge: Mark T. Pittman Court: Court of Appeals Second Appellate District of Texas at Fort Worth Plaintiff's Attorney: Joseph W. Spence Defendant's Attorney: William H. "Bill" Ray Steven W. Conder Description: After that, she went to work. But on the morning of November 28, 2014, a call came into the Fort Worth Fire Department from the River Ranch Apartments, where Harris lived. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. The day after Harris' murder, Cervantez was caught by surveillance cameras trying to open the doors to the store, but they had already changed the locks. She raises three points on appeal: (1) the trial court erred by denying her counsel's motion to withdraw based on the State's failure to comply with the Michael Morton Act; (2) the trial court erred by admitting recorded statements of her . Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. But prosecutors said Cervantez planned the crime, which involved stealing Harris' keys to the American Eagle Outfitters store at Hulen Mall in Fort Worth so the couple could take the cash from the store. He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. Re: Carter Carol Cervantez v. The State of Texas - MoreLaw A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. by Chilling Crimes Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. A break came when one of Harris neighbors told police that on the morning of the murder, he noticed a black, two-door Infiniti parked in the apartment complexs parking lot which didnt belong to any of the residents. Detective Cedillo testified that one of the text messages on Clarence's cell phone contained latitude and longitude coordinates and when he entered them into Google Earth, it revealed a locationnear Lueders, Texas. November 8th, 2018, Precedential Status: February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. Mallory and his girlfriend Carter Carol Cervantez, 28, plotted to kill Harris Harris, 31, was the store manager of an American Eagle store in Fort Worth, TX Mallory and Cervantez bound Harris . The Prosecution called Jeff Kayser to testify. It was the 28th of November 2014. She was blamed as the mastermind behind the murder plot by prosecutors. Fort Worth police, who had been staking out Cervantez s residence, followed the pair to the mall and arrested Mallory in his car outside after 3 Cervantez went inside. Police arrested him as he could not produce his driver's license when asked. I said, Thats Ashleas tattoo,' said Naylor. | Editor For more on this case and others like it, watch "Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen, or stream episodes here. Murder trial begins in slaying of Hulen Mall store employee But at least there are some you can understand. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. Carter's testimony also included an account of a time that she claimed she was raped by two men. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. The Court heard that when police searched Clarence's car, which was a Cadillac, they found two shovels, a box of plastic sheeting, and a box of Craftsman sockets. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. For My Man - TV One Harris was born in 1983 and grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. Prosecutors for the case showed surveillance video of Cervantez buying shovels and other gear on November 21st, with the intention of digging a grave for Harris. The detectives talked to two American Eagle employees who had been locked out due to the locks being changed. Chris went over to Detective Cedillo to tell him what he knew. Since this was a violation they took him into custody. The investigation revealed that the fire was not accidental and that rubbing alcohol had been poured in different areasthroughout the apartment including on Ashlea's bed. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. Court: Court of Appeals Second Appellate District of Texas at Fort Worth, Defendant's Attorney: William H. "Bill" Ray previously worked at an American Eagle store in Amarillo and was listed in the American Eagle system as, Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told her. Thats not good. He forced her to enter and rob American Eagle at gunpoint and threatened to kill her family if she didnt do what he asked. Police have charged Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of their former co-worker, Ashlea Harris, 31. The Ashlea Harris murder. Cervantezs 21 year-old boyfriend Clarence David Mallory has also been charged. Ashlea's ankles were also bound with duct tape. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. By It looked new as there was notany noticeable wear and the plastic price tag fastener was still attached. January 25, 2022, "The effects of abuse are devastating and far reaching. A coworker was slapped with life in prison for beating and burning to death a store manager on Black Friday so that he could take her store keys and steal $50,000. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. One suspect in 2014 Black Friday slaying gets life in prison, Clarence David Mallory, Jr. v. The State of Texas Appeal from 297th District Court of Tarrant County (memorandum opinion), Woman gets life for beating, binding, burning co-worker at Fort Worth mall in robbery plot, Police: Couple beat, strangled, burned woman News, Ashlea Harris Obituary Fort Worth, TX | Star-Telegram, Benbrook man gets life for killing Hulen Mall manager, Carter Carol Cervantez v. State CourtListener.com, Defendant in American Eagle murder trial testifies, Belle Gunness The Mistress of the Murder Farm, Kendall Francois The Poughkeepsie Killer, Dateline Podcast Black Friday November 29, 2019. Mallory and Cervantez reportedly also stole $18,000 from the same store in August of 2014. The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. Christopher Chris Cravey, Ashlea's boss, heard that police were asking about that vehicle and he told them he knew someone who drove one. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. Police searched the black Infiniti G35 and found a plastic bag inside a black trash bag, a sharpening stone for a knife, a nine-millimeter cartridge, a cellphone, a walkie talkie and a Buck knife with a sheath. Ashlea had been murdered and her body and apartment had been set on fire. A break came when one of Harris neighbors told police that on the morning of the murder, he noticed a black, two-door Infiniti parked in the apartment complexs parking lot which didnt belong to any of the residents. At the police station, police observed that he was wearing a ski mask. According to the show, Carter was recorded being very careful about leaving forensic evidence, even wiping a water bottle after drinking to remove her fingerprints. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. In the parking lot was a black two-door infiniti like the one seen at the crime scene. Woman gets life for beating, binding, burning co-worker at Fort Worth However, their jobs did not last long when they were allegedly found suspects of a robbery that took place in the store on August 24, 2014. Jeff Kayser to testify. An older man offers Chicwanda Forbes the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. The keys seemed to be the only thing missing from her apartment. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Officers found Mallory waiting in Cervantes car in the Hulen Mall parking lot and took him into custody. Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. our Backup, Combined Opinion from These included a black trash bag, a sharpening stone for a knife, a 9mm cartridge, a cell phone, a walkie-talkie, a buck knife sheath, a plastic tub, mens boots that had a cell phone in them, clothing, a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp still inside the package and a kitchen knife. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR They found ample evidence in both places, including a gun used to pistolwhip Ashlea, receipts for a murder kit, including the duct tape used to bind her, and her blood on the floor mat of their vehicle. s asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. On the day after Thanksgiving known in the retail world as Black Friday Harris's. On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. Fort Worth Police Detective Jerry Cedillo was staking out the apartment on the morning of November 29 when he saw Cervantes and Mallory get in her car and drive to the Hulen Mall. A woman was found guilty of capital murder Thursday for helping to beat, bind and set fire to another woman as part of a Black Friday robbery scheme in 2014. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Lets find out. <p>Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. The Court heard the two of them returned to the mall at 8am and at that point, were being followed by the police, unbeknownst to them. Re: Carter Carol Cervantez v. The State of Texas - MoreLaw Carter would always joke, If I were ever going to steal a deposit it would be after Black Friday or Tax Free Weekend.'. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the, In May 2016, 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantes was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to, Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. Ashlea was appointed to run the store while Cravey was out on medical leave. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. Firefighters managed to control the fire and it was only then they discovered that Ashlea was inside. In the meantime, Detective Pate, Cedillos partner, made contact with Mallory. Carter Carol Cervantez | Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison | Texas Around 7:30 am several residents of the River Ranch Apartments located at 4701 King Ranch Road called 911 to report smoke coming from apartment #1505. Details emerge in killing of Hulen Mall store employee - Dallas News Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. Greed and Hatred Uncovered in Ashlea Harris Murder, A First Look at the Murder of Ashlea Harris, Co-worker Describes Clarence David Mallory: He Seemed Genuine, She was the really cute, fun, outgoing person and so a lot of people were attracted to her, regardless of whether they were a boy or a girl, Ashleas best friend Stephanie Naylor told, Firefighters put out the blaze and found 31-year-old Harris dead on her bedroom floor. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the killing of Ashlea Ann Harris, whose body was found on November 28, 2014. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. Wallace E. Hood Jr., an arson investigator, told the Court thathe locatedmultiple origins of the fire, including in the bed, on Ashleas body, and in the closet. Clarence's phone-We left it. If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the Dallas Voice newspaper. They werent supposed to be dating because she controlled his pay, she controlled how much he worked, and she would just give him more preferential treatment. Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. The most likely thing that caused that was being pistol whipped.. Carter Carol Cervantez v. State - CourtListener.com Carter Carol Cervantez v. State, 02-16-00224-CR (Tex. The day after Thanksgiving Day. I became interested in this case after listening to Dateline Podcast from November 29, 2019 episode entitled Black Friday. I had some questions that werent answered on the show and thought Id see what I could find. Who Killed Her. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. Dr Friesexplained that cricoid fractures are seen mostly in motor vehicle accidents or something involving a significant amount of force.