One of the boys boasted of having 'virgin blood' on him. A tip led authorities to the bodies. He petitioned the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue; the appeal failed. I saw hardened, lifelong cops get tears in their eyes when talking about the scene more than a year later. posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its Murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea - Wikipedia endobj The break in solving the case came from, of course, the 911 call. "Why do I watch? "You're not even an animal," in the courtroom of Judge Bill Harmon, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 1994. This account has been disabled. /Length 1385 of Criminal Justice), Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. FED. In response, Medelln stated: "No, baby! I hope he spends the entire 40 years in prison. Villarreal then sat alongside the other gang members, relaxing, talking, trading insults and compliments, and drinking beer. Neither attempted to prevent the assaults or to inform the police. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Instead of remorse there was violence from Cantu. He hurt my friends and I didn't know and I cry a lot about not knowing. his arms, also apologized. I have no good words left for President Bush. Five others were convicted of capital murder in the case. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Turns out the friend I was with was a serial rapist. I might try to email it to Dennis Prager. Jester as the community gathers at the same time of Cantu's execution. When Peter Cantu saw Jenny and Elizabeth, he thought it was a man and a woman and told the other gang members that he wanted to jump him and beat him up. Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena murdered while walking near Houston Jester Park.[43]. Another change that resulted from the Ertman-Pena case was the decision to allow victims' relatives to witness executions. I dont knowLaura Ingraham is talking aboutI think I first heard about it the other day from her. /ID [] Peter Cantu then returned, and divided valuables that had been stolen from the girls. 0000009638 00000 n 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Peter Anthony Cantu (AP Photo/Dept. /Type /Catalog O'Brien (the only non-Hispanic in the gang) and Villarreal then proceeded to strangle Ertman with a red nylon belt before the belt broke. She was thrown to the ground by gang members Peter Cantu and Derrick Sean O'Brien. Donald R. Davis and Robert Morrow represented Cantu at trial. Who provided the details? CONTACT FILED: RANDY ERTMAN. This was clearly a job for a lynch mob. How sick My heart is broken. O'Brien was videotaped smiling at the scene of the crime. I was in Menlo park in during a huge gang fight. [33], Medelln's impending execution became an international controversy since the state did not hold a hearing about whether the inability of Medelln to meet with Mexican consular officials harmed his defense. DOES SHE HAVE BLOND HAIR?!!?". Try again later. According to later testimony, on one occasion, Pea glanced in the direction of her younger friend as she was raped by Efrain Prez and began weeping as she observed Ertman. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Press J to jump to the feed. Villarreal was convicted of murder in 1994 for his involvement in the rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in 1993 during a gang initiation. The State of Texas, represented by Solicitor General Ted Cruz, challenged Bush's order, and the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that only the Congress of the United States has the right to order hearings to be held. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1907918/posts, Bush, Texas at odds over death case Both girls were strangled to death. This prompted Medelln to say the gang "had fun" and that details would appear on the news. Seventeen years after the crimes, Peter Anthony Cantu was executed on August 17, 2010. HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBS/AP/KHOU) Tonight, Peter Anthony Cantu will be executed for two of the most notorious deaths in Houston history, the 1993 rapes and murders of 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena and. Corey Mitchell's book "Pure Murder," which details the story of the killings, was released in 2008 and became a best seller.Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. [5], Leaving the crime scene, Cantu handed Venancio Medelln a Goofy wristwatch taken from Ertman's body, saying, "Take this, I don't want it. Jos Medelln got a ring with an "E," so he could give it to his girlfriend, Esther. the U.S. Supreme Court barred execution of people who were under 18 He was the youngest of six members of the so-called Black and White gang when they brutally raped and killed Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in June 1993. Medellin was 14 at the time of the killings and has served 27 years of his 40-year sentence, the maximum punishment allowed for a juvenile. Their bodies were found four days after they were murdered. I ain't ever gonna hear that again, that hurts," said Randy Ertman, the victim's father. Ertman tried to help. Thank you for doing this write up. 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. jennifer ertman autopsy photos Leaving the crime scene, Peter Cantu handed Venancio Medelln a Goofy wristwatch taken from Ertman's body, saying, "Take this, I don't want it.". F-me, these stories get uglier and sadder every day. As he lay writhing and moaning on the ground after being temporarily knocked unconscious, the gang members conferred privately to discuss whether to accept Villarreal as a member. She felt sorry for the families and wanted them to be able to put their daughters' bodies to rest. [47] Medellin is scheduled to be released in 2034. C.E. The State of Texas, represented by Solicitor General Ted Cruz, challenged Bush's order, and the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that only the Congress of the United States has the right to order hearings to be held. The murder of Ertman and Pena made headlines all over Texas due to the heinous nature of the crime along with the new law that was put in place that allowed the families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. [7] Prez will become eligible for parole on October 10, 2029, while Villarreal will become eligible for parole on September 20, 2029.[27][28]. The rapes and murders of Jennifer Lee Ertman and Elizabeth Christine Pea, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, aged 14 and 16, respectively, occurred on June 24, 1993. On death row, Cantu, now 35, was classified among the best-behaving inmates. /Filter /FlateDecode . Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. The death of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena led to a significant changes in victim's rights. /L 64011 Medelln gave both written and taped confessions. The girls were walking along the White Oak Bayou when they encountered six "Black and White" gang members drinking beer shortly after holding the gang initiation ceremony of 17-year-old Raul Omar Villarreal. [30][41][42], The parents of the murder victims successfully advocated for the State of Texas to allow victims' relatives to have permission to witness executions. xc```b``^dL`c@ >f(T0Fk^350QxA]gY=kfNy-3&00xLd$OexQ8 9L-K~p800.m``:Q *R It is stories like this that make me think this country is going to explode in a paroxysm of rage - pure rage. Both completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Pea's presence. /O 74 Where [are] you going?" to Ertman. 0000003012 00000 n 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, To get these special tacos, drive out to the Houston Ship Channel, MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, 'This is about profit': Houston leaders condemn HISD takeover, Oops! In: Mangino, Matthew T. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 02:51. The day of rage is coming though. What a horrible crime. Anderson, a Houston Police Department officer who worked on the murder case, described the murder as "part of the impetus for the antigang programs in Houston." of Criminal Justice), Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, August 17, 2010 - Peter Anthony Cantu Execution: Mastermind of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murders to Die. The juvenile pled guilty to his charge and his sentence will be reviewed when he turns 18, at which time he could be released. This is one that truly, truly haunts me. To use this feature, use a newer browser. jennifer ertman autopsy photos At first, Pea desperately attempted to appease her abusers as she wept, offering her phone number so they could "get together". Anderson, a Houston Police Department officer who worked on the murder case, described the murder as "part of the impetus for the antigang programs in Houston." [2], At 4:15 p.m. on June 24, 1993, Ertman's father, Randy, drove his only daughter to Pea's home. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Jennifer Lee Ertman I found on Findagrave.com. When the police followed this suggestion, they found the badly decaying bodies of Jenny and Elizabeth. Death penalty opponents protested the impending execution. Wow, I am speechless! Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Thanks for listening. [22], Four days after the murders, the girls' bodies were found in the park during hot weather conditions.