Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. The day after Thanksgiving Day. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Officers found Mallory waiting in Cervantes car in the Hulen Mall parking lot and took him into custody. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? Steven W. Conder. Carter's testimony also included an account of a time that she claimed she was raped by two men. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. In looking at a police department database, Cedillo found that Cervantez and her boyfriend, Clarence Mallory had been suspects in an August 24, 2014 theft at America Eagle. 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. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. 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On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Documents say the only thing missing from Harris' apartment were her keys, which contained the keys to the American Eagle store as well as the safe. No charges were filed against the two. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. 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. Whoever was the last person to leave had locked the door behind them. Today it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Chris went over to Detective Cedillo to tell him what he knew. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. Home She transferred to the Hulen Mall location and held an assistant store manager position. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. 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 claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. He moved to Ft. Worth and reunited with Carter, who allegedly falsified his social security number to cheat the system and get him employment at the Ft. Worth store. 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. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. Their cases were heard separately but the Prosecution case was almost the same for both with the exception that they believed Carter was the mastermind behind the crime. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. It was a black Infiniti G35. Cerevantez and Mallory had previously worked with Harris at the American Eagle store, but this summer were suspected of stealing $18,000 dollars from it. The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. November 8th, 2018, Precedential Status: Alexis left after4am. It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. A bottle of it found near the body. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. Listen to the story of how Ashlea Harris fought for her life upsetting the plans of two nefarious killers who wanted a big pay off. 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. 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 . Mark Sedwick, a special agent with the FBI and a member of the Cellular Analysis Survey Team, testified as to the content of texts that had been sent at 11.52amon the 28th of November between Clarence's phoneandCarter's phone: Carter's phone-Hey, remember that thing you said I didnt clean well?Did you clean it? 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The jury did not believe her. 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. All were missing. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. He told the Court thathe sawa black Infiniti G35 with a faded Toll tag sticker on its roof parked outside. CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. | Recent Lawyer Listings Police arrested him as he could not produce his driver's license when asked. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape,. Kevin Rousseau, Tarrant County prosecutor, said of their crime: 'At a minimum this took at least a month of planning. | Store A mysterious fire, missing keys, and a black sports car. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. She was tentatively identified by her tattoos. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. He tried again a second and a third time but the smoke made it an impossible task. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. His name was Clarence David Mallory. Harris reported Cervantes and Mallory as the likely suspects after Carter was seen leaving a door in the back of the store unlocked, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. The deposit was somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. The Court heard that police believed that over the course of a few weeks, Carter and Clarence planned to kidnap Ashlea and steal the keys. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison . The Court heard about Ashlea's injuries. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Her throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. The perpetrators had stolen Ashleas store keys and were allegedly planning to break into the store again and steal more money. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. He took photos of the various items found in the car. Firefighters put out the blaze and found 31-year-old Harris dead on her bedroom floor. This manager did not close the store that night and did not appear to have the same build as the person in the video. . He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. Prosecutors also showed evidence that Cervantez and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle in Abilene (where they had previously worked). Prosecutors say Cervantez and her.
I said, Can you tell me anything? He said, Ill ask you a question, does Jeremiah 29:11 mean anything to you? And I just fell down. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. He met his girlfriend Carter Cervantez there. 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: He testified that when he entered the apartment, it, was full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. She was savagely beaten. By this time, Mallory had failed to show up for work on three consecutive days when he was scheduled. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. Her body was partially burned and she had been beaten. There was a cut on the right side of Ashlea's neck which was caused by a knife and bruises and abrasions on her neck, chest and right arm. Harris reported Cervantes and Mallory as the likely suspects after Carter was seen leaving a door in the back of the store unlocked, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. 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. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. Protect yourself and those you love. Chicwanda Forbes gets the attention she craves from an older man in exchange for her loyalty; Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. Before fire and rescue workers arrived a neighbor, Jeff Kayser, kicked in her door calling out for her and Nala. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. It was only at that point that Chris discovered that it was Carter who had hired Clarence and he found out that Clarence hadpreviously worked at an American Eagle store in Amarillo and was listed in the American Eagle system as non-rehireable." While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. Get Driving Directions to Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. Dr Fries testified that the injuries on Ashlea's face were caused by multiple blows. Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. The investigators hypothesized setting the residence on fire had been an abrupt change of plans. Ashlea was the mom of the store. 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. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. She was the youngest of three girls. She was strangled, her throat cut, and ultimately asphyxiated. Upon searching Mallorys cell phone there were text messages that contained latitude and longitude coordinates. Next, he heard what sounded like heavy labored breathing. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Ashlea Harris was outgoing and personable while the other assistant store manager, Carter was more straight-laced and reserved. He testified that the presence of. Her bond was set at $500,000. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. | Link Errors It didn't last long. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . 23:46 GMT 24 Aug 2017 She also accused the black-hooded male, caught on camera breaking into the store safe and stealing the money, as David. 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. . They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. When he realized it was Ashlea's apartment and when he observed her car was still parked outside, he ran upstairs and kicked her door down. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. 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. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Cervantes and Mallorys apartment and found a shopping receipt from November 21 for shovels, gloves, duct tape, rope, and a tarp. Patrick thought that perhaps someone had come to pick Ashlea Harris up for work as her pick-up truck remained in its parking space. (Joyce Marshall)</p> Author: WFAA Staff Published:. Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. They had been dating which was a violation of store policy. When he went to touch her, he saw that her wrists and ankles were duct-taped. Cervantez claims that Mallory dug the grave for her. 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. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. I didnt touch it. Carter Cervantez, 27, who was an assistant manager at the Hulen Mall store, is on trial this week, accused of killing Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on the day after Thanksgiving 2014. He observed. While they were let go initially, the investigators had search warrants for their apartment and car. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Cervantez claimed that the grave was not for Ashlea Harris, but for her. When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. Update: A correction was. She told the Court that she left Ashlea's apartment after 4am the morning of the 28th of November and that when she left, Ashlea locked the door. At Carter's Trial, her Defense was that she was not involved in Ashlea's death. Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. By 2011, she was an assistant manager at an American Eagle Outfitters store at Fort Worths Hulen Mall. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. Though the theft remained an open case with the Fort Worth Police Department, American Eagle believed it had enough evidence to fire Cervantes and Mallory. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. ", by Chilling Crimes He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. 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. It was their case that they wanted her keys to steal the money from the store but also that they wanted revenge after they held Ashlea responsible for them losing their jobs. Mallory was found guilty along with his girlfriendCarter Carol Cervantez, 28, of killing the American Eagle store manager, who they both worked with, on Black Friday in 2014. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. 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.