Detective Cedillo went back to Cervantez apartment and found her in the laundry room this time wearing pink scrubs. 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. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. 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. All were missing. Police believed they were used for practice as theywerelabeled lock picking practice lock.. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. Investigators believed Cervantes and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle store. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. After more evidence is gathered they are arrested on December 4, 2014. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. The key opened the dressing room and storage closet at Hulen Mall American Eagle. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. 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. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. Chris told police that a former employee at American Eagle, Carter Carol Cervantez, drove a similar car. / CBS News/AP. They went to the store as planned on the Saturday morning with the keys but the lockshad already been changed. Defendant in American Eagle murder trial testifies | Fort Worth Star February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. At 6:56 am Alexis noticed a missed call from Ashlea. 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. Who Killed Her? This case has not yet been cited in our system. After he missed three scheduled shifts after the burglary, he and her lover were terminated, and Carters managers keys were confiscated. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. Police tracked Cervantes and Mallory to an apartment near the Hulen Mall. A friend of hers, Alexis Torres came over. No charges were filed against the two. Video surveillance of the mall showed that at 2 am on Saturday morning someone tried to open the security gate at American Eagle. The jury did not believe her. | Articles 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. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. 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. Home Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. 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 was able to unlock the trunk of Mallorys Cadillac using keys found in the black Infiniti. Lets find out. 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. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. Two arrests made in Fort Worth murder case | wfaa.com Each is charged with one count of capital murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. 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. I didnt touch it. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? In addition, he did not call in to request off. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. Cervantez pleads not guilty. | Sign In, Verdict Corrections When police looked at mall surveillance the video showed a person wearing a grey sweatshirt and black hat arrive at the security gate at American Eagle. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Ashlea Harris was outgoing and personable while the other assistant store manager, Carter was more straight-laced and reserved. 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. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw ablack Infiniti G35 driving away. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. Patrick was thinking about trying to find out what was going on when he heard Ashleas front door open and then close. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. 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. David received the same sentence on August 24, 2017. 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. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. carbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. Various documents were found. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. It was then he saw a body. Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. Woman gets life for beating, binding, burning co-worker at Fort Worth Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. 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. He is 22 years old. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. They discovered that Ashlea's missing keys had the store keys on them too. 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. She denied being at the Hulen Mall that morning. 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. Arrest Made In Fort Worth Fire Murder - CBS DFW - CBS News The day after Thanksgiving Day. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. In the parking lot was a black two-door infiniti like the one seen at the crime scene. Police spoke to him. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. 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. 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. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. The couple lived only two miles from Ashleas apartment. A medical examiner found blunt force trauma to her face and head and trauma related to strangulation on her neck and throat, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. The Court heard that inJune 2014, Ashleawas appointed to run the store while Chris was on medical leave. The prosecution alleged Carter to be the mastermind behind the homicide. 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. Dr. Richard Fries, deputy M.E. Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. 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. Blood was found on the floor mats of Cervantes car. They are not hiding in shadows. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. 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. Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. According to local news reports,the opening manager discovered $17,850.32 had been stolen from the safe. However, her loyalty to the store where she was employed would tragically lead to her death. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. There was no smoke in her lungs indicating she was not alive when the fire was set. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes He heard a scream at around 7.30am. 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. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. He had looked at his alarm clock and saw the time was 7:30 am. The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). She and her. 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. 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. 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. arrived on the scene. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. They originally planned to bury Harris at a grave site detectives found north of Abilene, Texas. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. judgment. The two. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Police began talking to neighbors including Patrick Sweet, who told them about the unusual sounds he heard coming from Ashleas apartment that morning. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. 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. We Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. 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. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. The scream was followed by a loud thud and hecould hear labored breathing. 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. Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? 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. 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. terminated for leaving the store unsecured. Cervantez asked to speak to the regional manager about her firing, but in the end, handed over her store keys. Jeff Kayser to testify. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. The fire had been extinguished by then. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. Carter Carol Cervantez | Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison | Texas 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. At the apartment, detectives found a box containing a taser in the trash, strands of duct tape, and a damaged deadbolt lock. "For My Man" Chicwanda Forbes; Carter Cervantez (TV Episode 2018 - IMDb 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 said that she did not. Prosecutors showed video surveillance from Home Depot a week before Ashlea Harris was murdered. Firefighters put out the blaze and found 31-year-old Harris dead on her bedroom floor. Joyce Marshall jlmarshall@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH. The two men, who were strangers to her, were invited into the apartment by Clarence and she was raped by both of them. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. The perpetrators had stolen Ashleas store keys and were allegedly planning to break into the store again and steal more money. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. He ruled out accidental causes for the reason for the fire and concluded that the fire was set on purpose. Incriminating texts shown to jury in Black Friday murder trial She testified at her own Trial and told the Court that she was afraid of Clarence. The Jury heard that at 6.56am,Alexishad a missed call from Ashlea and when she noticed it, just a few minutes later, she called her back but there was no answer. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. | Link Errors The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. 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. While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. She was raised in a large and loving family and made friends wherever she went. Another neighbor also told police something disturbing. 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. 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. rely on donations for our financial security. She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. 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. He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. It took them just two hours to find her guilty and she was sentenced tolife in prison without parole. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. This key was not in the trash during the first search. Murder trial begins in slaying of Hulen Mall store employee 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. 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. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. He told police that Carter had gone into the mall to collect some papers but when police searched the mall, she wasn't there. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. 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. Prosecutors also showed evidence that Cervantez and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle in Abilene (where they had previously worked). Fort Worth Police arrested two suspects in the November 28 murder of Ashlea Harris. Carter's testimony also included an account of a time that she claimed she was raped by two men. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. Who Killed Her. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. Detective describes trailing defendant in Hulen Mall She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you.. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Ashlea Harris killer Clarence Mallory gets life in prison After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. 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. Ashlea worked on November 27th from 5:30 pm until 3:12 am to prep the store for Black Friday. 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. He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. 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. Cervantes was allowed to go home. He spotted the black Infinity in the apartment parking lot. 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. 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. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Woman Convicted in Death of Former Co-Worker in Fort Worth He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. Cervantez also testified that Mallory raped her when she didn't do what he wanted. A downstairs neighbor, Patrick Sweet, was lying in bed when he heard a loud scream. Cervantez v. State, No. 02-16-00224-CR | Casetext Search + Citator 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. She also accused the black-hooded male, caught on camera breaking into the store safe and stealing the money, as David. Benbrook man gets life for killing Hulen Mall manager | Fort Worth Star Where Are Carter Cervantez and David Mallory Today? Update Alexis left after4am. Detective Cedillo wanted to search Ashleas pick-up truck.
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