Chris looked at Clarence'spersonnel fileanddiscovered thatwhen Carterhired him, she changed his Social Security number and his name in the system so that it would not be detected or show up any red flags. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. Many retailers have special markdowns and people lose their minds trying to snatch up the bargains. However, the police arrested David in the mall parking area after finding he carried no license, and officers went to their apartment and brought Carter in for questioning. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. 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. 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. Mallory drove her back to their apartment and friends of Mallory were waiting inside. She told the Court she did not kill Ashlea and played no part in her death. 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. A. loaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. 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. It took them just two hours to find her guilty and she was sentenced tolife in prison without parole. He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. 04:27 GMT 25 Aug 2017. Ashlea was the mom of the store. 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. According to local news reports,the opening manager discovered $17,850.32 had been stolen from the safe. Cervantes had worked at American Eagle Outfitters for several years and managed a store in Amarillo, Texas. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! App. The Prosecution called Jeff Kayser to testify. There were extensive text messages between the two as they watched the store. The jury did not believe her. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. What did they all have in common on Black Friday 2014? Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. Mallory drove the car to another mall exit. Police believed she saw them talking with Clarence in the car park and walked the two miles home. It was a latenight due to Black Friday sales and Alexis looked after Ashlea's dog Nala while Ashlea was working. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. There was no smoke in her lungs indicating she was not alive when the fire was set. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? As word of the fire spread throughout the community, Harris friends rushed to the scene, desperate for information. We The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). They are not hiding in shadows. She was tentatively identified by her tattoos. Cerevantez and Mallory had previously worked with Harris at the American Eagle store, but this summer were suspected of stealing $18,000 dollars from it. Mark Sedwick, a special agent with the FBI and a member of the Cellular Analysis Survey Team, testified as to the content of texts that had been sent at 11.52amon the 28th of November between Clarence's phoneandCarter's phone: Carter's phone-Hey, remember that thing you said I didnt clean well?Did you clean it? She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. The Court heard that inJune 2014, Ashleawas appointed to run the store while Chris was on medical leave. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. 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Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Who Killed Her? There are predators everywhere. 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 was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. He was unable to find a pulse. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. . Under the drivers seat was a 9mm Glock with a round still in the chamber. It was a black Infiniti G35. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. The two. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Christopher Chris Cravey, Ashlea's boss, heard that police were asking about that vehicle and he told them he knew someone who drove one. She was savagely beaten. Her bond was set at $500,000. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. However, her loyalty to the store where she was employed would tragically lead to her death. Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, was taken into custody by Tarrant County Sheriffs on Saturday. Cervantez is being held in the Fort Worth Jail. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the Dallas Voice newspaper. A friend of hers, Alexis Torres came over. We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Court heard about Ashlea's injuries. Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez v. State - CourtListener.com Carter Carol Cervantez v. State, 02-16-00224-CR (Tex. The perpetrators had stolen Ashleas store keys and were allegedly planning to break into the store again and steal more money. 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. 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. Take out all the trash andleave that. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. By The couple had been fired from the American Eagle store at the Hulen Mall after being suspected of stealing nearly $18,000 from the store's safe in August 2014. Police searched the black Infiniti G35 and found a plastic bag inside a black trash bag, a sharpening stone for a knife, a nine-millimeter cartridge, a cellphone, a walkie talkie and a Buck knife with a sheath. It turns out that Clarence was also a former employee of American Eagle. He requested that they stop the black Infinity if they witnessed any type of traffic violation. They also found another lock labeled lock picking practice lock. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. that the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. He continued to lie in bed wondering what was going on in his upstairs neighbors apartment (Ashleas apartment). The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. David received the same sentence on August 24, 2017. Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability. . Fired One week later Cravey called Cervantez. 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. ", by Chilling Crimes This key was not in the trash during the first search. The inside of the apartment and Ashlea's body led police to believe that the fire was not an accidental fire. 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!' Around 7:30 am several residents of the River Ranch Apartments located at 4701 King Ranch Road called 911 to report smoke coming from apartment #1505. Police also found a damaged deadbolt lock,two other locks that had been used for practice. He was able to determine that the fire had multiple points of origin. Cervantez claims that Mallory dug the grave for her. November 8th, 2018, Precedential Status: The Court heard that the car was still there when Steven left for work after 7.30am. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. He testified that the presence ofpetechiae in Ashleas eyes reflected asphyxia or strangulation and that afractured cricoid is: the least common place wesee fractures in asphyxia or strangulation-type deaths because it consists of cartilagethat is pliable.". After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Cervantezs 21 year-old boyfriend Clarence David Mallory has also been charged. On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle. But Carter never forgave Ashlea, with Leticia saying, 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. 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.. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas. It had its lights off as it left the parking space in front of Ashleas apartment. the Court. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. 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. Cravey and Ashlea watched the store surveillance video. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. He spotted the black Infinity in the apartment parking lot. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris. 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. Combined Opinion from At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. 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 sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. judgment. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. 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. Police believed that Ashlea was killed between 4.15am and 7.30am. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. 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: Powered by WordPress.com VIP. carbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. I didnt touch it. Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Chicwanda Forbes; Carter Cervantez: With Iyana A. Campbell, Jordan Clifford, Herbert Lee Frazier III, Reginald Garner. She denied being at the Hulen Mall that morning. The M.E. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. 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 recalls being raped multiple times by friends of Mallorys and being coerced into the robbery. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. a plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. She enters the mall at 7:56 am on November 29th. At 6:56 am Alexis noticed a missed call from Ashlea. 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 detectives talked to two American Eagle employees who had been locked out due to the locks being changed. | Privacy Statement. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. Another apartment in the complex was on fire. 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. 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. The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. Powered by Shopify. The following opinions cover similar topics: CourtListener is a project of Free At that point, the firefighters had arrived. 'They slash her throat and then, when she is finally dead, they set her place on fire. They soon determined that Ashlea Harris had suffered blunt force trauma to her face and head, her throat had been cut, and her body partially burned. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. She was blamed as the mastermind behind the murder plot by prosecutors. Both suspects were booked . Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. Another neighbor also told police something disturbing. When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. For that reason, the fire seemed like an afterthought to me, Fort Worth Police Detective Ernie Pate told Snapped.. But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. 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. The day after Thanksgiving Day. All were missing. The Court also heardpolicefoundlatitude and longitude coordinates on the cell phones. 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. | Articles Each is charged with one count of capital murder. 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. Communication between Mallory and Cervantez led police to a shallow hole in a town more than a hundred miles away. Due to that, they wanted to speak to the owner of the Infiniti G35.