He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Alexis Torres Bunch. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. The following opinions cover similar topics: CourtListener is a project of Free Whoever was the last person to leave had locked the door behind them. Carter and David were convicted of beating, strangling, and bounding Ashlea and setting fire to her4701 King Ranch Road apartment onNovember 28, 2014, morning. Police believed she saw them talking with Clarence in the car park and walked the two miles home. 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 . Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. Then he gathered up some belongings, moved his car away from the building, and waited for the fire department to arrive. Harris was found dead in her apartment several hours later when firefighters responded to a fire alarm. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. The police also analyzed their mobile phones to find they had exchanged texts planning the murder and methods of disposing of the corpse. (Joyce Marshall)</p> Author: WFAA Staff Published:. Police began talking to neighbors including Patrick Sweet, who told them about the unusual sounds he heard coming from Ashleas apartment that morning. 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 Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen. 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. They both pleaded not guilty. 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. / CBS News/AP. Keith Morrison. 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. On Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday, those were our highest deposit days, said Groen. Alexis left after4am. The couple lived only two miles from Ashleas apartment. Her bond was set at $500,000. At that point is where it all becomes apparent why they killed Ashlea Harris. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. Police arrested him as he could not produce his driver's license when asked. For that reason, the fire seemed like an afterthought to me, Fort Worth Police Detective Ernie Pate told Snapped.. 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. 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. 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 reviewing the malls video surveillance Detective Cedillo saw Cervantez enter the mall wearing the same clothing he had seen her leave her apartment in. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. There was a significant amount of blood around her body which indicated she had been beaten and her hands were bound with duct tape behind her back. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. Police argue that the couple beat Harris and then set her body on fire, taking the keys to the Hulen Mall American Eagle Outfitters store in order to steal up to $50,000 in profits from a Black Friday sale. She was savagely beaten. 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. Various documents were found. January 17, 2022 While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. Since this was a violation they took him into custody. By 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. A key belonging to another assistant store manager was left in the night deposit box. After he missed three scheduled shifts after the burglary, he and her lover were terminated, and Carters managers keys were confiscated. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. by Chilling Crimes Investigators believe the fire was an abrupt change in plan. 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. Examiners Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. That was a term the brand used toindicate that the person should not be hired at any location. 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. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. Detective Cedillo decided to stake out Cervantez and Mallorys apartment arriving around 3:45 am on Saturday, November 29, 2014. Precedential, Citations: Due to that, they wanted to speak to the owner of the Infiniti G35. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. She claimed that when Ashlea was murdered that she was in bed asleep and she didn't know where Clarence was. Officers found Mallory waiting in Cervantes car in the Hulen Mall parking lot and took him into custody. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. 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. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. It was a direct violation of the company policy, and she started facing flak for her relationship with a subordinate. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Police believed that Ashlea was killed between 4.15am and 7.30am. The M.E. Helived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea. 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. A downstairs neighbor, Patrick Sweet, was lying in bed when he heard a loud scream. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. She transferred to the Hulen Mall location and held an assistant store manager position. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. The two men, who were strangers to her, were invited into the apartment by Clarence and she was raped by both of them. They are not hiding in shadows. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. 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. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. She told the Jury that he controlled her and even told her when she could eat or drink. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. Detective Cedillo drove there and he found a hole that had been dug that measuredsix feet long, two and a half feet wide, and three feet deep. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. 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. 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. He testified that when he entered the apartment, itwas full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. She was sentenced / adjudicated in Runnels County, Winters. She was taken to the station for questioning. Clarence's phone-We left it. The neighbor attempted several times to get into Ashleas apartment but was forced out each time due to the heavy smoke. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. Cervantez asked to speak to the regional manager about her firing, but in the end, handed over her store keys. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. 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. terminated for leaving the store unsecured. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. He was also fired per store policy. He was able to determine that the fire had multiple points of origin. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. 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. , updated One week later Cravey called Cervantez. 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 . He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. 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. The most likely thing that caused that was being pistol whipped.. But surveillance video confirmed she was not being truthful and it showed her leaving the mall and walking towards her home. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes Police believed they were used for practice as theywerelabeled lock picking practice lock.. 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. Another store employee watched the video and agreed with Ashlea based on the suspects physical appearance. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. 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. Both are held on a $100,000 bond. The fire had been extinguished by then. 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. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. Harris autopsy pointed to a rage killing. They discovered that on Thanksgiving Day, she went to dinner withher friendAlexis Torres and other friends at an apartment inside her complex. | Link Errors The Ashlea Harris murder. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. The next day, Mallory drove her back to try again. Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. 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. They also found another lock labeled lock picking practice lock. This was most likely a lighter and the accelerant was rubbing alcohol. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. Lets find out. She quickly walks away. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. He continued to lie in bed wondering what was going on in his upstairs neighbors apartment (Ashleas apartment). 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. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. He met his girlfriend Carter Cervantez there. A friend of hers, Alexis Torres came over. 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. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. Chris testified that Carter and Clarence would have known that Ashleaidentified Clarence and informed him of the theft. Next, he heard what sounded like heavy labored breathing. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. But at least there are some you can understand. The couple were arrested this weekend Cervantez in Fort Worth and Mallory in Amarillo on warrants accusing them of capital murder for Harris's slaying and theft $1,500 to $20,000 for the. 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. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. She testified at her own Trial and told the Court that she was afraid of Clarence. He forced her to enter and rob American Eagle at gunpoint and threatened to kill her family if she didnt do what he asked. 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. She recalls being raped multiple times by friends of Mallorys and being coerced into the robbery. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. Police asked Alexis if she knew who drove a black Infiniti G35. An older man offers Chicwanda Forbes the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. He took photos of the various items found in the car. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. She was raised in a large and loving family and made friends wherever she went. It took them just two hours to find her guilty and she was sentenced tolife in prison without parole. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. Police have said they believe that Cervantez, 27, and Clarence David Mallory, 21, beat and bound Harris and then set her body on fire to steal her keys . Cervantez pleads not guilty. She was strangled, her throat cut, and ultimately asphyxiated. Both suspects were booked . judgment. 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. 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 . He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. App. August 20, 2021, "Evil people always support each other; that is their chief strength.".
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