portland, texas murders
Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. The document also requestedthe results of DNA testing conducted ona pubic hair that was found onChapa's body. Thats always something that were looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack, Wright said. Dateline originally aired an episode on the case in 2017 after a San Patricio County Judge found David Strickland, a Portland, Texas, man, guilty of capital murder. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. In the last 5 years Portland has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. There were some measures taken by the suspect Mr. Garza earlier in the evening in preparatory of this double homicide, Cory told reporters, according to KRIS-TV. The letter also included a picture of the accused man along with the words, I was told to deliver this or die. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Orr and prosecutors with the San Patricio County District Attorney's officecould not immediately be reached for comment. "My body will never be 100% again. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. About 50 people attended a candle light vigil held for Mollie Judith Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. A series of fortunate events has led us to this point and I'm just very happy that we could help in at least at this point in bringing him to justice., Hes a stone cold killer who thought he got away with murder, but will finally pay for his crime, said Robert R. Almonte, United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. We've been working very hard to make sure we get him as soon as possible. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. There is still a lot to do in order to prepare the case for prosectuion". While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. "I struggle with [post-traumatic stress disorder] and anxiety. U.S. Committed the July 24, 1979, murder of Anna Marie Hlavka in. Garza shot both Phillips and Eli twice, Cory said. His sentence will automatically be appealed. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. A vigil was held for the girls at a local high school Sunday and a candle-lit walk is scheduled to take place in the park on Friday. The gunshot initially left Chapa unable to sit or stand, with the bullet piercing the part of her brain controlling movements on her left side. It was higher than in 44.6% U.S. cities. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. The following morning, a couple discovered the bodies of the two women in knee-high grass near a scenic lookout in the park, police said. Previously, DNA found on a cigarette butt and energy drink can at the scene both matched to Spellman. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. [9], Strickland was not charged with a hate crime because authorities found no evidence to indicate the women were targeted due to their sexuality but were likely random targets. [7], In January 2019, McFadden was linked by DNA via GEDmatch to the July 24, 1979 murder of Anna Marie Hlavka; Anna was found dead by her sister inside her apartment. [8] In October 1999, he was executed in the Huntsville Unit by lethal injection. Gerald Walter McFadden was born on March 21, 1948, in Haskell County Texas. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. It was higher than in 44.6% U.S. cities. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. A search of his belongings also revealed a letter similar to the one received by the Chapa family. Portland, a small town of 16,000 just north of Corpus Christi, is not known for crime and has not seen a homicide in two years. Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, 'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. Corpus Christi police concluded that the robbery was targeted. And it wont bring Mollie back, she said. Sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1973 for two counts of rape. The Layton man's home had been burglarized that year by David Strickland, a former friend. In July 1987, he was sentenced to death for the murder of 18-year-old Suzanne Harrison, 20-year-old Gena Turner and 19-year-old Bryan Boone. Every episode of ABC's award-winning talk show "The View" is now available as a podcast! Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. He is charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. The letter included details that hadn't been released to the media. David M. Strickland, 27, and his wife, Laura K. Strickland, 23, were arrested June 20 at their home in Helotes in the San Antonio area. U.S. Nevertheless, the jury found David, then 30, guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. ", More: Sign up to have news emailed to you daily. David and Laura owned a car that matched the description. [6], In 2018, advances in testing technology allowed for DNA identification of a hair found on Chapa's body. More:Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, More:Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, More:'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. He is facing charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated sexual assault in the June 23, 2012, attack on Mollie Olgin, 19, who died in the shooting in Portland on the Corpus Christi Bay. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night, June 22, 2012, that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. [3] There were several witnesses who had seen McFadden close to the scene of the crime on the day of the killings. So, lets find out what happened to David then, shall we? In 2019, one of Strickland's attorneys said a man from Nevada, whose DNA was found at the scene, was actually responsible for the crime. This evidence included .45-caliber firearms, handcuffs, ammunition, a lock pick kit, bolt cutters, and other suspicious items. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora), A crime scene investigator takes pictures of an evidence marker near some playground equipment Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. WebMollie Olgin was a 19-year-old woman murdered on June 22, 2012 in Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas after she and her girlfriend were attacked and shot. Kristene Chapa's girlfriend died from the 2012 attack. She believed the testing could help exonerate Strickland. Gay rights groups have called for a thorough police investigation into the fatal shooting of a teenage woman and wounding of her girlfriend in the park. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; A crowd of over 100 people attend a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night, June 22, 2012, that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. The following morning, a couple discovered the bodies of the two women in knee-high grass near a scenic lookout in the park, police said. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and an unconscious Chapa was taken to a local hospital where she eventually regained consciousness. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparently shot by a mysterious assailant in Portland, Texas Friday night. Neighbors described Jennifer Phillips as, in the words of KRIS-TV, the heart of the community, and Eli as a playful soul., [Screengrab of memorial for Jennifer Phillips and Eli Garza at their home via KIII], Have a tip we should know? Then, he took it back. In August 1986, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the escape. His wife faces charges of tampering with evidence. Portland Police Chief Randy Wright confirmed the identities of the two girls to local NBC affiliates and to MSNBC. [4][7] The Texas Appeals Court affirmed the conviction and sentence in November 1993. Have a tip or story idea? "GLAAD: Supporters rally and call for #justice4krisandmollie", "Texas Lesbian Couple: Survivor Remembers Night of Shooting", "Two Years Later, Arrests Have Finally Been Made in the Corpus Christi Shooting of A Teenage Lesbian Couple", "Same-Sex Teen Couple Shot: Texas Rangers investigating shooting of Mollie Olgin and Mary Chapa", "Brother of lesbian teen shot in head: She's 'fighting', "Verdict reached 4 years after deadly attack on TX lesbian teen couple", "Same-Sex Teen Couple Shooting: New sketch of suspect released in Texas attack", "Couple who found victims at Portland park testify", "Arrest Affidavit Details Link Between David Strickland, Portland Shootings", "accused-killer-in-portland-shooting-falsely-confessed-expert-says", "jury-watches-video-of-shooting-survivors-photo-lineup", "Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012", "Shooting survivor Kristene Chapa files $500 million lawsuit", "Texas attack survivor's multimillion-dollar lawsuit against David Strickland gets pre-trial hearing", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Mollie_Olgin&oldid=1133689494, Violence against LGBT people in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 01:52. Olgin died and Chapa continues to recover after the two were shot June 23 at the park. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. Portland police have not provided details about how Strickland was linked to the case. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene,[3] whilst Chapa was taken to hospital in critical condition. Kristene Chapa, left, accompanied by her mother Grace Chapa, opened up about a 2012 attack in Texas that killed her girlfriend on "The View," Oct. 29, 2019. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. 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portland, texas murders