He testified that the presence of. 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. Police could not find Cervantez inside the mall but found her later in the laundry room at her apartment; surveillance video confirmed she had walked the two miles home. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. . Prosecutors showed video surveillance from Home Depot a week before Ashlea Harris was murdered. A friend of hers, Alexis Torres came over. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. For that reason, the fire seemed like an afterthought to me, Fort Worth Police Detective Ernie Pate told Snapped.. Her friend left around 4:40 am with Ashlea locking the door behind her. Their cases were heard separately but the Prosecution case was almost the same for both with the exception that they believed Carter was the mastermind behind the crime. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. They went to the store as planned on the Saturday morning with the keys but the lockshad already been changed. 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. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. 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. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. None known, Docket Number: I said, Thats Ashleas tattoo,' said Naylor. 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. Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. 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: Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. Zach Shallcross Struggles to Watch Himself Dancing Terribly on The Bachelor, Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, Alison Brie on Sex Scenes: 'We Are Actors, This Is Our Job'. These included the bed, the closet, and Ashleas body. He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. s asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. 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. Precedential, Citations: Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Examiners Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. 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. They also found a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp stillinside the package and a kitchen knife. 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. After that, she went to work. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. Ashlea was the mom of the store. Police also found a damaged deadbolt lock, phone, a walkie talkie and a Buck knife with a, a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp still, inside the package and a kitchen knife. Filed: Police "developed probable cause" to make the arrests, according to a release. 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. But on the morning of November 28, 2014, a call came into the Fort Worth Fire Department from the River Ranch Apartments, where Harris lived. When he went to get her keys he was unable to locate them. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. Investigators believed Cervantes and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle store. She was savagely beaten. The two disappeared after the theft and were not arrested until police tracked them down on Dec. 6. By this time, Mallory had failed to show up for work on three consecutive days when he was scheduled. 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. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. 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? This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez faces capital murder charges in connection with the death of Ashlea Harris. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR 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 . Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. Our district manager basically gave her the option to quit or to get transferred, said Groen. Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. Christopher Chris Cravey, Ashlea's boss, heard that police were asking about that vehicle and he told them he knew someone who drove one. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. The couple lived only two miles from Ashleas apartment. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Alexis left after4am. 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. He ruled out accidental causes for the reason for the fire and concluded that the fire was set on purpose. Im so sorry I forgot. 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. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. She was raised in a large and loving family and made friends wherever she went. | Articles The Court heard that when police searched Clarence's car, which was a Cadillac, they found two shovels, a box of plastic sheeting, and a box of Craftsman sockets. He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. Whoever was the last person to leave had locked the door behind them. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. 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.". This was most likely a lighter and the accelerant was rubbing alcohol. Detective Cedillo wanted to search Ashleas pick-up truck. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. Police tracked Cervantes and Mallory to an apartment near the Hulen Mall. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. From Free Law Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. The keys seemed to be the only thing missing from her apartment. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. 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. Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. | Recent Lawyer Listings They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. 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. The fire had been extinguished by then. If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. Carter Carol Cervantez. the Court. Chicwanda Forbes has worked hard to make a life for herself in New Orleans, until an older man offers her the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. She came from a blended family. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. 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. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. 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. At the police station, police observed that he was wearing a ski mask. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. Cravey indicated that he did. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. 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 only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. He was able to unlock the trunk of Mallorys Cadillac using keys found in the black Infiniti. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. A few minutes later, Patrick's. Carter's phone:Well, damn. carbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. 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. Carter's case was heard first. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. She was inside getting some paperwork she needed to complete. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. After he missed three scheduled shifts after the burglary, he and her lover were terminated, and Carters managers keys were confiscated. The inside of the apartment and Ashlea's body led police to believe that the fire was not an accidental fire. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. Mallory and Cervantez reportedly also stole $18,000 from the same store in August of 2014. 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 locks at American Eagle were for precautionary reasons, Cedillo told Snapped.. Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. 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. According to local news reports,the opening manager discovered $17,850.32 had been stolen from the safe. ", by Chilling Crimes He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. The man drove to Hulen Mall and when they got there, he dropped off Carter at the door and parked. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. 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She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. The two. 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. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. terminated for leaving the store unsecured. Carter Carol Cervantez appeals from her jury conviction for capital murder and automatic life sentence. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. Chris Cravey had gotten all the locks changed upon hearing about Ashleas murder. He noticed it because he never saw it parked there before. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. The apartment was filled with smoke. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. 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. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison . Her truck was still in the apartment complexs parking lot. Protect yourself and those you love. The neighbor attempted several times to get into Ashleas apartment but was forced out each time due to the heavy smoke. What did they all have in common on Black Friday 2014? It was only at that point that Chris discovered that it was Carter who had hired Clarence and he found out that Clarence hadpreviously worked at an American Eagle store in Amarillo and was listed in the American Eagle system as non-rehireable." 2023 Chilling Crimes. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. It was a black Infiniti G35. 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. Law enforcement officials arrested 19-year-old Clarence Malloy and 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez in the murder of Ashlea Harris, the victim of an early morning fire. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. Jeffcrawled midway to the kitchen before he was forced to get out for some air. It was a latenight due to Black Friday sales and Alexis looked after Ashlea's dog Nala while Ashlea was working. 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. Powered by Shopify. Clarence David Mallory (age 19) had previously worked for American Eagle at their Amarillo location. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. that the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. By | Sign In, Verdict Corrections On Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday, those were our highest deposit days, said Groen. She told the Jury that he controlled her and even told her when she could eat or drink. Carter worked thereas an assistant manager and she hired her boyfriend Clarence to work at the same store. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. She also accused the black-hooded male, caught on camera breaking into the store safe and stealing the money, as David. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the Dallas Voice newspaper. She told police that she didnot leave the apartment complex at all that day. She and her. 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. Investigators believe the fire was an abrupt change in plan. Firefighters managed to control the fire and it was only then they discovered that Ashlea was inside. On the 24th of August 2014, at 1.14am, $18000 was stolen from the safe in the American Eagle store. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. There are a lot of people at her apartment complex, which says a lot about the defendants in this case.'. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. But at least there are some you can understand. The Court heard that the car was still there when Steven left for work after 7.30am. Today, Ft. Worth is a thriving city of approximately 800,000 residents. They discovered that on Thanksgiving Day, she went to dinner withher friendAlexis Torres and other friends at an apartment inside her complex. A Friday. Detective Cedillo decided to stake out Cervantez and Mallorys apartment arriving around 3:45 am on Saturday, November 29, 2014. The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. 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. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. 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. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. We He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. He testified that when he entered the apartment, itwas full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. He testified that when he entered the apartment, it, was full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. August 20, 2021, "Evil people always support each other; that is their chief strength.". Patrick thought that perhaps someone had come to pick Ashlea Harris up for work as her pick-up truck remained in its parking space. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. In the meantime, Detective Pate, Cedillos partner, made contact with Mallory. She switched his first name with his middle name and changed two digits of his social security number. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. The prosecution alleged Carter to be the mastermind behind the homicide. | Store 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. Harris was born in 1983 and grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. It didn't last long. He took photos of the various items found in the car. Then he gathered up some belongings, moved his car away from the building, and waited for the fire department to arrive. Her bond was set at $500,000. 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 Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison. He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. The deposit was somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000. They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the Reuters news service. Another store employee watched the video and agreed with Ashlea based on the suspects physical appearance. In August 2016, Clarence David Mallory was found guilty of murder one after one hour of jury deliberation. 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. Video surveillance of the mall showed that at 2 am on Saturday morning someone tried to open the security gate at American Eagle. I need to take care ofthat. . On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle. Another neighbor also told police something disturbing. Jeff, Wallace E. Hood Jr., an arson investigator, told the Court that, multiple origins of the fire, including in the bed, on Ashleas body, and in the closet. | Privacy Statement. No charges were filed against the two. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. 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. 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. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. Helived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea. Thats not good. 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. However, they were never charged or arrested for allegedly committing the robbery. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Read More: Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? 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. Clarence's phone-We left it. 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. , updated 02-16-00224-CR. Communication between Mallory and Cervantez led police to a shallow hole in a town more than a hundred miles away. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. 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. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? On May 26, 2016, twenty-seven-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was found guilty of capital murder. 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. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. His name was Clarence David Mallory. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. 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. At Carter's Trial, her Defense was that she was not involved in Ashlea's death. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. An older man offers Chicwanda Forbes the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). She told the Court she did not kill Ashlea and played no part in her death.
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