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. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. Clarence's phone-We left it. 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. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. Carter Carol Cervantez v. State - CourtListener.com Carter Carol Cervantez v. State, 02-16-00224-CR (Tex. Ashlea Harris Killed By Former Hulen Mall Employees | Crime News Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. Cervantez said Mallory put the gun in her face and tried to make her steal money from the store. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. 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. In the parking lot was a black two-door infiniti like the one seen at the crime scene. Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. So why did they kill Ashlea? They were caught within days after several witnesses identified their vehicle to be present at the crime scene and supplied the police with a strong motive for them to commit the homicide. For more on this case and others like it, watch "Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen, or stream episodes here. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. Mallory drove the car to another mall exit. ", by Chilling Crimes Carter Carol Cervantez | Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison | Texas She was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole on May 26, 2016. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. It was a black Infiniti G35 with a faded toll sticker on its roof. Carter and David were convicted of beating, strangling, and bounding Ashlea and setting fire to her4701 King Ranch Road apartment onNovember 28, 2014, morning. 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. Carter would always joke, If I were ever going to steal a deposit it would be after Black Friday or Tax Free Weekend.'. In August 2016, Clarence David Mallory was found guilty of murder one after one hour of jury deliberation. The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. It had its lights off as it left the parking space in front of Ashleas apartment. Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. January 25, 2022, "The effects of abuse are devastating and far reaching. They also found another lock labeled lock picking practice lock. Another neighbor also told police something disturbing. Dr Friesexplained that cricoid fractures are seen mostly in motor vehicle accidents or something involving a significant amount of force. 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. Benbrook man gets life for killing Hulen Mall manager | Miami Herald He testified that the presence of. . She claimed that when Ashlea was murdered that she was in bed asleep and she didn't know where Clarence was. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. Police discovered that thirty one year old Ashlea Ann Harris lived in the apartment that was on fire. They are not hiding in shadows. Re: Carter Carol Cervantez v. The State of Texas - MoreLaw The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. 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. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. 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. It was a latenight due to Black Friday sales and Alexis looked after Ashlea's dog Nala while Ashlea was working. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.". When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. In reviewing the malls video surveillance Detective Cedillo saw Cervantez enter the mall wearing the same clothing he had seen her leave her apartment in. She said that he held the gun up to her and told her to do it and that he also claimed there was somebody waiting outside her parent's home and they would be killed also if she didn't steal the money. Ashlea worked on November 27th from 5:30 pm until 3:12 am to prep the store for Black Friday. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. 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. She was sentenced / adjudicated in Runnels County, Winters. For My Man - TV One Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Next, he heard what sounded like heavy labored breathing. Joyce Marshall jlmarshall@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. (Joyce Marshall)</p> Author: WFAA Staff Published:. Dateline: Ashlea Harris' Parents Wanted Mallory, Cervantez Executed Defendant in American Eagle murder trial testifies | Fort Worth Star Cervantez is arrested in Lubbock and Mallory is taken into custody in Amarillo. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. She was savagely beaten. The investigation revealed that the fire was not accidental and that rubbing alcohol had been poured in different areasthroughout the apartment including on Ashlea's bed. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Ashlea Harris murder. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. At 6:56 am Alexis noticed a missed call from Ashlea. They discovered that Ashlea's missing keys had the store keys on them too. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. 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. He was also fired per store policy. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. 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. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? This Record may not reflect actual, complete, or up-to-date data. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. Clarence David Mallory, 22, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars in the death of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, in a Fort Worth, Texas, courtroom on Thursday. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. During a break in questioning, Cervantes was given a bottle of water and left alone in the interrogation room. She and her. The keys seemed to be the only thing missing from her apartment. 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. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. Cervantez asked to speak to the regional manager about her firing, but in the end, handed over her store keys. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. Many retailers have special markdowns and people lose their minds trying to snatch up the bargains. The Court heard that inJune 2014, Ashleawas appointed to run the store while Chris was on medical leave. The investigators hypothesized setting the residence on fire had been an abrupt change of plans. Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. Before fire and rescue workers arrived a neighbor, Jeff Kayser, kicked in her door calling out for her and Nala. Ashlea was the mom of the store. Harris autopsy pointed to a rage killing. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. At the apartment, detectives found a box containing a taser in the trash, strands of duct tape, and a damaged deadbolt lock. After that, she went to work. A Friday. 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. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. He observed. App. 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. Jeffcrawled midway to the kitchen before he was forced to get out for some air. | Link Errors She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. Carter worked thereas an assistant manager and she hired her boyfriend Clarence to work at the same store. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. a plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. She raises three points on appeal: (1) the trial court erred by denying her counsel's motion to withdraw based on the State's failure to comply with the Michael Morton Act; (2) the trial court erred by admitting recorded statements of her . He told the Court that he lived in an apartment just, below Ashleas apartment. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. It was a black Infiniti G35. They had been dating which was a violation of store policy. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the Dallas Voice newspaper. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. She quickly walks away. The term Black Friday originated in Philadelphia to describe heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. Christopher Chris Cravey, Ashlea's boss, heard that police were asking about that vehicle and he told them he knew someone who drove one. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. Her bond was set at $500,000. 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. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. 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. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. She was taken to the station for questioning. Protect yourself and those you love. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. He was unable to find a pulse. Police believed that Ashlea was killed between 4.15am and 7.30am. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Chris told police that a former employee at American Eagle, Carter Carol Cervantez, drove a similar car. As word of the fire spread throughout the community, Harris friends rushed to the scene, desperate for information. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. She said that she did not. (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. 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. 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. She denied being at the Hulen Mall that morning. The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. 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. He observedthat the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. Helived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea. | Advertising Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. Filed: 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. Arrest Made In Fort Worth Fire Murder - CBS DFW - CBS News Cervantez claims that Mallory dug the grave for her. 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. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com By 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. Did we leave it behind? Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. She raises three points on appeal: (1) the trial court erred by denying her counsel's motion to withdraw based on the State's failure to comply with the Michael Morton Act; (2) the trial court erred by admitting recorded statements of her . When he looked out the window he witnessed a dark-colored vehicle driving away. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. They both pleaded not guilty. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. And in Fort Worth, Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. Dr Fries testified that the injuries on Ashlea's face were caused by multiple blows. What did they all have in common on Black Friday 2014? She switched his first name with his middle name and changed two digits of his social security number. Ashlea identified Clarence as the person who took the money from the safe from the surveillance footage. Police began talking to neighbors including Patrick Sweet, who told them about the unusual sounds he heard coming from Ashleas apartment that morning. Her body was partially burned and she had been beaten. 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. The two. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. 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. The Autopsy revealed that Ashleahad numerous injuries on her body including but not limited toa laceration on the right side of her scalp, on her cheek and the left side of her face and a patterned bruise on the right side of her face, a bruise between her eyes and around her left eye. But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. 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. Mallory and his girlfriend Carter Carol Cervantez, 28, plotted to kill Harris Harris, 31, was the store manager of an American Eagle store in Fort Worth, TX Mallory and Cervantez bound Harris . | Articles We Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. 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. Two arrests made in Fort Worth murder case | wfaa.com He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. Incriminating texts shown to jury in Black Friday murder trial Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. Police: Suspects arrested in Fort Worth fire, murder Woman gets life for beating, binding, burning co-worker at Fort Worth 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. The Court heard that the car was still there when Steven left for work after 7.30am. Cervantez received life in prison without the possibility of parole. Kevin Rousseau, Tarrant County prosecutor, said of their crime: 'At a minimum this took at least a month of planning. 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. Documents: Hulen Mall employee strangled by former co-workers As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. Our district manager basically gave her the option to quit or to get transferred, said Groen. The day after Thanksgiving Day. He tried again a second and a third time but the smoke made it an impossible task. 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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 The Dallas Morning News. November 8th, 2018, Precedential Status: He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. 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. At Carter's Trial, her Defense was that she was not involved in Ashlea's death. She was the youngest of three girls. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. Though Mallory was arrested for driving without a license, he was also released from custody. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. Police spoke to all of Ashlea'sneighbors. Text messages obtained from Cervantes and Mallorys phones showed them plotting Harris murder as part of a planned Black Friday heist. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. The detectives talked to two American Eagle employees who had been locked out due to the locks being changed. Assuming that there may be a fire in Ashleas apartment he dialed 911. 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. Another store employee watched the video and agreed with Ashlea based on the suspects physical appearance. 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. Jeff Kayser to testify. She was the really cute, fun, outgoing person and so a lot of people were attracted to her, regardless of whether they were a boy or a girl, Ashleas best friend Stephanie Naylor told Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen. Police asked Alexis if she knew who drove a black Infiniti G35. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Firefighters managed to control the fire and it was only then they discovered that Ashlea was inside. It didn't last long. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. None known, Docket Number: At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.'. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas.