Police found burn marks on her body and she had been strangled and her throat wasslit. Mallory drove the car to another mall exit. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. | Privacy Statement. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. Detective Cedillo spoke to Chris Cravey, who was Ashleas boss at American Eagle, and asked if he knew anyone who drove a black Infinity. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. 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. He was also fired per store policy. She was inside getting some paperwork she needed to complete. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. She also accused the black-hooded male, caught on camera breaking into the store safe and stealing the money, as David. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw ablack Infiniti G35 driving away. It turns out that Clarence was also a former employee of American Eagle. 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. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. 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. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. Ashlea's ankles were also bound with duct tape. Police say Harris worked a late night Black Friday shift at the American Eagle store in a mall in Fort Worth and arrived home around 3:15 a.m. A neighbor below Harris told police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing around 7:30 a.m. His carbon monoxide detector then went off, and water from the sprinklers in Harris' apartment came through his ceiling. Police "developed probable cause" to make the arrests, according to a release. 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. Her body was partially burned and she had been beaten. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. Before fire and rescue workers arrived a neighbor, Jeff Kayser, kicked in her door calling out for her and Nala. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Police set up surveillance outside Carter's home and the next morning, the Saturday morning, at 8 am they saw her leave her apartment and getinto her Infiniti G35 with a man. The deposit was somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. January 17, 2022 He testified that at around 7.30am on the 28th of November, he woke when heheard a loud scream. Cervantezs 21 year-old boyfriend Clarence David Mallory has also been charged. On the 24th of August 2014, at 1.14am, $18000 was stolen from the safe in the American Eagle store. She was sentenced / adjudicated in Runnels County, Winters. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. Both are held on a $100,000 bond. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. Then he gathered up some belongings, moved his car away from the building, and waited for the fire department to arrive. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . 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. 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. 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. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. Chris told police that a former employee at American Eagle, Carter Carol Cervantez, drove a similar car. He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. Ashleas friend Alexis, who was the last to see her at close to 5 am, told police that Ashlea usually left her keys and wallet on her kitchen counter. In the meantime, Detective Pate, Cedillos partner, made contact with Mallory. The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. | Recent Lawyer Listings Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. They discovered that on Thanksgiving Day, she went to dinner withher friendAlexis Torres and other friends at an apartment inside her complex. The investigators hypothesized setting the residence on fire had been an abrupt change of plans. As word of the fire spread throughout the community, Harris friends rushed to the scene, desperate for information. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. The Autopsy revealed that Ashleahad numerous injuries on her body including but not limited to, Dr Fries testified that the injuries on Ashlea's face were caused by multiple blows. Patrick Sweet lived in the apartmentbelow Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Ashlea Harris worked as an assistant store manager for American Eagle Outfitters located in the Hulen Mall. 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. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. Mallory drove her back to their apartment and friends of Mallory were waiting inside. Combined Opinion from She was strangled, her throat cut, and ultimately asphyxiated. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, Ben Renick case: World-renowned snake breeder murdered. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. 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. 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. It didn't last long. Police set up surveillance outside Carter's home and the next morning, the Saturday morning, at 8 am they saw her leave her apartment and get into her Infiniti G35 with a man. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. When he looked out the window he witnessed a dark-colored vehicle driving away. Police arrested him as he could not produce his driver's license when asked. | Store Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. FORT WORTH, Texas -- A woman whose burned body was found in her Fort Worth apartment Thanksgiving weekend had been strangled and beaten, allegedly by former co-workers, according to court documents. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. Since this was a violation they took him into custody. Detective Cedillo decided to stake out Cervantez and Mallorys apartment arriving around 3:45 am on Saturday, November 29, 2014. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. NBCs Black Friday chronicles how Ashlea Harris was murdered by two spiteful former co-workers, Carter Cervantez and David Mallory, in Fort Worth, Texas, in November 2014. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. The couple lived only two miles from Ashleas apartment. 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. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the, For more on this case and others like it, watch. She was taken to the station for questioning. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. She said that he held the gun up to her and told her to do it and that he also claimed there was somebody waiting outside her parent's home and they would be killed also if she didn't steal the money. 23:46 GMT 24 Aug 2017 Cervantez received life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Court also heardpolicefoundlatitude and longitude coordinates on the cell phones. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. He ruled out accidental causes for the reason for the fire and concluded that the fire was set on purpose. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. The apartment was filled with smoke. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. She stole Ashleas keys to commit another theft with an even bigger payoff. He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. They went to the store as planned on the Saturday morning with the keys but the lockshad already been changed. The most likely thing that caused that was being pistol whipped.. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. Cervantez also testified that Mallory raped her when she didn't do what he wanted. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. He testified that the presence of. Each is charged with one count of capital murder. For more on this case and others like it, watch "Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen, or stream episodes here. What did they all have in common on Black Friday 2014? . They both pleaded not guilty. Police could not find Cervantez inside the mall but found her later in the laundry room at her apartment; surveillance video confirmed she had walked the two miles home. 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. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. | Link Errors Ashlea identified Clarence as the person who took the money from the safe from the surveillance footage. They discovered that Ashlea's missing keys had the store keys on them too. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. 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. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. She and her. 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> A downstairs neighbor, Patrick Sweet, was lying in bed when he heard a loud scream. Firefighters managed to control the fire and it was only then they discovered that Ashlea was inside. A woman suspected of helping kill a former co-worker on the shopping day known as Black Friday in 2014 was found guilty of capital murder Thursday and will spend the rest of her life in prison.. Police also saw what appeared to be a fresh injury to his lower lip and his lower lip was swollen. 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. App. Chicwanda Forbes has worked hard to make a life for herself in New Orleans, until an older man offers her the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. Cervantez said Mallory put the gun in her face and tried to make her steal money from the store. He told police that Carter had gone into the mall to collect some papers but when police searched the mall, she wasn't there. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. Dr. Richard Fries, deputy M.E. 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. It was a black Infiniti G35. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. Steven W. Conder. He took photos of the various items found in the car. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. He saw Cervantez exit the vehicle wearing and enter the mall. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. When Detective Cedillo follows up with a manager who happened to be in that morning at Aeropostale, he told police that Carter Cervantez did not work there. Rousseau added: 'Imagine the horror, someone is probably sitting on you while someone else is taping up your hands and then your ankles. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. When he went to get her keys he was unable to locate them. He asked him why he was in the parking lot so early in the morning. It included her mother, Monica Cassity, stepfather Daddy Chuck, her father Tommy Harris Sr. and her stepmom Mary Reddy. Ashlea had been murdered and her body and apartment had been set on fire. This was different. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. 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. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. Blood was found on the floor mats of Cervantes car. Carter Carol Cervantez is a 33 year-old who was listed as being under the supervision of the department of corrections in Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. No charges were filed against the two. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. 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." Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com At that point is where it all becomes apparent why they killed Ashlea Harris. The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. All were missing. 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. 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. Saturday Tarrant County Sheriffs arrested 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR These included the bed, the closet, and Ashleas body. None known, Docket Number: He testified that when he entered the apartment, it, was full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. Who Killed Her? Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Her bond was set at $500,000. By One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. The detectives talked to two American Eagle employees who had been locked out due to the locks being changed. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. After Ashlea Harris pointed to David Mallory and Carter Cervantes as the most likely culprits to have robbed an American Eagle store, the couple was furious. Carter's case was heard first. Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com, 'Multiple' US Army drill sergeants at Fort Benning suspended after sexual assault allegations surface, 'It's tough to watch him struggle': Hugh Hefner's son opens up about his dad's health struggles as reclusive Playboy founder hasn't been seen in public in over a year, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' He is 22 years old. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. She admitted that she tried to access the American Eagle store but claimed she only did so because Clarence threatened to kill her if she didn't . terminated for leaving the store unsecured. She was raised in a large and loving family and made friends wherever she went. However, they were never charged or arrested for allegedly committing the robbery. But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. Today it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. 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. 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. . Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. She was tentatively identified by her tattoos. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, testified that she was asleep at the time of the murder of Ashlea Harris and was forced into the robbery by her boyfriend, 21-year-old Clarence David Mallory, the Fort. the Court. I need to take care ofthat. Communication between Mallory and Cervantez led police to a shallow hole in a town more than a hundred miles away. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. She was the youngest of three girls. | Sign In, Verdict Corrections Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. Carter Carol Cervantez v. State - CourtListener.com Carter Carol Cervantez v. State, 02-16-00224-CR (Tex. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas. The Court heard about Ashlea's injuries. On May 26, 2016, twenty-seven-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was found guilty of capital murder. Patrick thought that perhaps someone had come to pick Ashlea Harris up for work as her pick-up truck remained in its parking space. FWPD Fort Worth Police Department FORT WORTH Pictures of tools that could be used to pick locks, the front cover of the book Practical Lock. The locks at American Eagle were for precautionary reasons, Cedillo told Snapped.. That was a term the brand used toindicate that the person should not be hired at any location. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. They were not able to open the gate and promptly left. It didn't last long. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. She enters the mall at 7:56 am on November 29th. He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. Police began talking to neighbors including Patrick Sweet, who told them about the unusual sounds he heard coming from Ashleas apartment that morning. Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. Our district manager basically gave her the option to quit or to get transferred. Carter chose to get a transfer and was shifted to a store in the Hulen Mall in Fort Worth, Texas. He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. below Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Bill Ray, one of the attorneys who represented Cervantez, said none of the more than 400 exhibits prosecutors filed placed her in Harris' apartment at the time she was killed, the paper reports. He was unable to find a pulse. 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. Cervantez asked to speak to the regional manager about her firing, but in the end, handed over her store keys. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. He observedthat the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. Chris testified that Carter and Clarence would have known that Ashleaidentified Clarence and informed him of the theft. rely on donations for our financial security. She told the Jury that he controlled her and even told her when she could eat or drink. But at least there are some you can understand. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. 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: This case has not yet been cited in our system. 02-16-00224-CR. Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. Prosecutors showed video surveillance from Home Depot a week before Ashlea Harris was murdered. . The Court heard that inJune 2014, Ashleawas appointed to run the store while Chris was on medical leave. 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. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. ", Sign up to get the latest true crime stories, new product releases and more, Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more . He observed. 04:27 GMT 25 Aug 2017. 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. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. Shes the one that coordinated everything and came up with the plan.As per official court records, she, 34, is serving her sentence at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville, Texas. They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.'. They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. Who Killed Her. From what he could make out it was a female lying face down on the floor in front of the bed. our Backup, Combined Opinion from 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. He had looked at his alarm clock and saw the time was 7:30 am. 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. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. summon fey 5e,
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