Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The Jury heard that a. t 6.56am,Alexishad a missed call from Ashlea and when she noticed it, Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez v. State - CourtListener.com Carter Carol Cervantez v. State, 02-16-00224-CR (Tex. Ashlea worked on November 27th from 5:30 pm until 3:12 am to prep the store for Black Friday. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). 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. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. Close to $18,000 was missing from the safe. She came from a blended family. 04:27 GMT 25 Aug 2017. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. 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. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. On the day after Thanksgiving known in the retail world as Black Friday Harris's. 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. 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. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. 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. He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. On Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday, those were our highest deposit days, said Groen. 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. The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. During a break in questioning, Cervantes was given a bottle of water and left alone in the interrogation room. 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. He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. . After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. Clarence's phone-We left it. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! She switched his first name with his middle name and changed two digits of his social security number. 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. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. , updated They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. Due to that, they wanted to speak to the owner of the Infiniti G35. They discovered that on Thanksgiving Day, she went to dinner withher friendAlexis Torres and other friends at an apartment inside her complex. Powered by Shopify. Police believed she saw them talking with Clarence in the car park and walked the two miles home. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. This key was not in the trash during the first search. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. Mallory threatened to hurt her parents and relatives if she did not do what she was told, Cervantez said. She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. 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. Chris testified that Carter and Clarence would have known that Ashleaidentified Clarence and informed him of the theft. | Sign In, Verdict Corrections CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. 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 manager did not close the store that night and did not appear to have the same build as the person in the video. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. Detective Cedillo spoke to Chris Cravey, who was Ashleas boss at American Eagle, and asked if he knew anyone who drove a black Infinity. He was unable to find a pulse. He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. Unsure of her career path, Harris began working in retail in her early 20s. It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. He saw Cervantez exit the vehicle wearing and enter the mall. Chris told police that a former employee at American Eagle, Carter Carol Cervantez, drove a similar car. 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. The detectives talked to two American Eagle employees who had been locked out due to the locks being changed. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. She and her. An older man offers Chicwanda Forbes the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. 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. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. Patrick thought that perhaps someone had come to pick Ashlea Harris up for work as her pick-up truck remained in its parking space. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. Police arrested him as he could not produce his driver's license when asked. 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. After he missed three scheduled shifts after the burglary, he and her lover were terminated, and Carters managers keys were confiscated. She enters the mall at 7:56 am on November 29th. Prosecutors also showed evidence that Cervantez and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle in Abilene (where they had previously worked). She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. 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. While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. Carter's phone:Well, damn. 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. He testified that the presence of. He tried again a second and a third time but the smoke made it an impossible task. Police searched their apartment. Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability. She was blamed as the mastermind behind the murder plot by prosecutors. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. The Court heard that inJune 2014, Ashleawas appointed to run the store while Chris was on medical leave. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. She was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole on May 26, 2016. There are predators everywhere. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. From what he could make out it was a female lying face down on the floor in front of the bed. <p>Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. There was a scrape and lacerations of her lip, a scrape on her chin and a star-shaped laceration with a surrounding bruise behind her left earwhich the medical examiner was caused by being struck by the pistol. The fire had been extinguished by then. The Prosecution called Jeff Kayser to testify. He spotted the black Infinity in the apartment parking lot. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities. Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris. I said, Thats Ashleas tattoo,' said Naylor. The key opened the dressing room and storage closet at Hulen Mall American Eagle. But at least there are some you can understand. It was a black Infiniti G35 with a faded toll sticker on its roof. | Articles They had been dating which was a violation of store policy. 02-16-00224-CR. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. He ruled out accidental causes for the reason for the fire and concluded that the fire was set on purpose. Today, Ft. Worth is a thriving city of approximately 800,000 residents. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. The man drove to Hulen Mall and when they got there, he dropped off Carter at the door and parked. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. 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. It included her mother, Monica Cassity, stepfather Daddy Chuck, her father Tommy Harris Sr. and her stepmom Mary Reddy. 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 told the Court that he lived in an apartment just, below Ashleas apartment. He was able to determine that the fire had multiple points of origin. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. She was later found in her apartment complex. It was a direct violation of the company policy, and she started facing flak for her relationship with a subordinate. ", by Chilling Crimes It matched Ashlea Harris' DNA. 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 . Dr Fries testified that the injuries on Ashlea's face were caused by multiple blows. These included the bed, the closet, and Ashleas body. Patrick Sweet lived in the apartmentbelow Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Cervantez pleads not guilty. In addition, we got Ashleas DNA on this gun that was in Carter Cervantes car, said Kevin Rousseau. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. They originally planned to bury Harris at a grave site detectives found north of Abilene, Texas. Detective Cedillo wanted to search Ashleas pick-up truck. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. 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. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. Detective Cedillo went back to Cervantez apartment and found her in the laundry room this time wearing pink scrubs. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. ", 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 . Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. Clarence Mallory Jr. and Carter Cervantez are accused of murdering Ashlea Harris after she left her job late at night at a mall in Fort Worth. Detective Cedillo decided to stake out Cervantez and Mallorys apartment arriving around 3:45 am on Saturday, November 29, 2014. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. Each is charged with one count of capital murder. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Dr. Richard Fries, deputy M.E. judgment. When he went to get her keys he was unable to locate them. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. Posted on May 27, 2016. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. The M.E. Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. Precedential, Citations: It had its lights off as it left the parking space in front of Ashleas apartment. No charges were filed against the two. ", by Chilling Crimes A. loaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Steven W. Conder. 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. Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She claimed that when Ashlea was murdered that she was in bed asleep and she didn't know where Clarence was. Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. Police discovered that thirty one year old Ashlea Ann Harris lived in the apartment that was on fire. Police believed they were used for practice as theywerelabeled lock picking practice lock.. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. I didnt touch it. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Under the drivers seat was a 9mm Glock with a round still in the chamber. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. The two. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. It looked new as there was notany noticeable wear and the plastic price tag fastener was still attached. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. Via the Star-Telegram: Cervantez testified that she and Mallory went to Cleburne and rented a motel room on Nov. 28, but later that day Mallory had her drive to Hulen Mall while he toyed with a 9 mm Glock handgun he held in his lap. The apartment was filled with smoke. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. They went directly to the safe where the night deposits were kept, unlocked it, and took the cash inside. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. He asked him why he was in the parking lot so early in the morning. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. 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. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. She stole Ashleas keys to commit another theft with an even bigger payoff. But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. They were caught within days after several witnesses identified their vehicle to be present at the crime scene and supplied the police with a strong motive for them to commit the homicide. Police asked Alexis if she knew who drove a black Infiniti G35. Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. Update: A correction was. 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. She transferred to the Hulen Mall location and held an assistant store manager position. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. Jeff Kayser to testify. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. 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 . She workedas an assistant managerin an American Eagle store in the Hulen Mall. Next, he heard what sounded like heavy labored breathing. They were not able to open the gate and promptly left. Cervantez is arrested in Lubbock and Mallory is taken into custody in Amarillo. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. All were missing. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. Her throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. the Court. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. 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. Outcome: Having overruled all three of Cervantezs points, we affirm the trial courts Our district manager basically gave her the option to quit or to get transferred, said Groen. While they were let go initially, the investigators had search warrants for their apartment and car. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. There are a lot of people at her apartment complex, which says a lot about the defendants in this case.'. 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. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. The State waived their right to seekthe death penalty and instead looked forlife in prison without parole. A Friday. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. It was a latenight due to Black Friday sales and Alexis looked after Ashlea's dog Nala while Ashlea was working. They both pleaded not guilty. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. She was taken to the station for questioning. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. It was a black Infiniti G35. 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. Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. She was wearing a grey sweatshirt and a black hat. Ashlea went through the surveillance footage and alleged Carter and David to be the burglars, as Carter was seen leaving the back door of the store unlocked when she took the garbage out the night before. It was the Prosecution's case that Carter and Clarencehad a couple of different reasons to want to harm Ashlea. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. Text messages obtained from Cervantes and Mallorys phones showed them plotting Harris murder as part of a planned Black Friday heist.