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. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. He observed. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. 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. 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. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. carbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. Ashlea Harris worked as an assistant store manager for American Eagle Outfitters located in the Hulen Mall. When he went to touch her, he saw that her wrists and ankles were duct-taped. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. Carter was arrested the following day by Tarrant County deputies. She was blamed as the mastermind behind the murder plot by prosecutors. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. 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. By this time, Mallory had failed to show up for work on three consecutive days when he was scheduled. Prosecutors showed video surveillance from Home Depot a week before Ashlea Harris was murdered. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. Police spoke to him. She workedas an assistant managerin an American Eagle store in the Hulen Mall. 02-16-00224-CR. 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. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. SHARE NEXT UP Young Woman in the Center of a Murder | For My Man S6/EP27 | Airdate: Nov 29, 2021 <span>Runtime: 00:01:30</span> Once there, she re-hired Mallory. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. the Court. Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. He tried again a second and a third time but the smoke made it an impossible task. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. Her friend left around 4:40 am with Ashlea locking the door behind her. 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. Fort Worth Police arrested two suspects in the November 28 murder of Ashlea Harris. He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. When he went to get her keys he was unable to locate them. 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. . He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. He is 22 years old. A mysterious fire, missing keys, and a black sports car. So why did they kill Ashlea? Take out all the trash andleave that. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. He took photos of the various items found in the car. s asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. The M.E. 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. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris.
Carter did hold this against Ashlea, because Ashlea was the one that turned them in, said Groen. 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. Fort Worth Police Detective Jerry Cedillo was staking out the apartment on the morning of November 29 when he saw Cervantes and Mallory get in her car and drive to the Hulen Mall. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. The apartment was filled with smoke. 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He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She and her. Fired One week later Cravey called Cervantez. However, their jobs did not last long when they were allegedly found suspects of a robbery that took place in the store on August 24, 2014. . Another store employee watched the video and agreed with Ashlea based on the suspects physical appearance. Harris autopsy pointed to a rage killing. According to the show, Carter was recorded being very careful about leaving forensic evidence, even wiping a water bottle after drinking to remove her fingerprints. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. She said that she did not. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. | Advertising The key opened the dressing room and storage closet at Hulen Mall American Eagle. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Steven Lee was an ex-cop who lived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea Harris. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. 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. The term Black Friday originated in Philadelphia to describe heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. | Articles The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. 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? That was a term the brand used toindicate that the person should not be hired at any location. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Carter Carol Cervantez was arrested Dec. 6, 2014. | Store He asked him why he was in the parking lot so early in the morning. From what he could make out it was a female lying face down on the floor in front of the bed. She quickly walks away. Chris testified that Carter and Clarence would have known that Ashleaidentified Clarence and informed him of the theft. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability. At that point is where it all becomes apparent why they killed Ashlea Harris. After he missed three scheduled shifts after the burglary, he and her lover were terminated, and Carters managers keys were confiscated. The neighbor attempted several times to get into Ashleas apartment but was forced out each time due to the heavy smoke. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. Police believed that Ashlea was killed between 4.15am and 7.30am. Another apartment in the complex was on fire. 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Chris went over to Detective Cedillo to tell him what he knew. They discovered that Ashlea's missing keys had the store keys on them too. 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 . The State waived their right to seekthe death penalty and instead looked forlife in prison without parole. However, her loyalty to the store where she was employed would tragically lead to her death. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Ashlea identified Clarence as the person who took the money from the safe from the surveillance footage. 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. She was wearing a grey sweatshirt and a black hat. Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. 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. (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. 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. They are not hiding in shadows. 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. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. In the meantime, Detective Pate, Cedillos partner, made contact with Mallory. What did they all have in common on Black Friday 2014? Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. 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. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. January 17, 2022 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 . our Backup, Combined Opinion from Keith Morrison. One of Harris friends had stopped by after Ashlea got off work on Thanksgiving night and stayed until around 5 a.m. Christopher Chris Cravey, Ashlea's boss, heard that police were asking about that vehicle and he told them he knew someone who drove one. They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. Mallory drove the car to another mall exit. On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle.
The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. | Recent Lawyer Listings Chicwanda Forbes gets the attention she craves from an older man in exchange for her loyalty; Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. However, they were never charged or arrested for allegedly committing the robbery. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Alexis usually watched Ashleas dog Nala when she worked. 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 . Police retraced Ashlea's movements. This case has not yet been cited in our system. Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. Did we leave it behind? The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). 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. I said, Can you tell me anything? He said, Ill ask you a question, does Jeremiah 29:11 mean anything to you? And I just fell down. I need to take care ofthat. ", Sign up to get the latest true crime stories, new product releases and more, Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more . At the apartment, detectives found a box containing a taser in the trash, strands of duct tape, and a damaged deadbolt lock. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? 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. Each is charged with one count of capital murder. Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? 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." She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. It turns out that Clarence was also a former employee of American Eagle. She was taken to the station for questioning. A downstairs neighbor, Patrick Sweet, was lying in bed when he heard a loud scream. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. The Jury heard that at 6.56am,Alexishad a missed call from Ashlea and when she noticed it, just a few minutes later, she called her back but there was no answer. Patrick was thinking about trying to find out what was going on when he heard Ashleas front door open and then close. Police believed they were used for practice as theywerelabeled lock picking practice lock.. 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. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. Posted on May 27, 2016. He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. Chicwanda Forbes; Carter Cervantez: With Iyana A. Campbell, Jordan Clifford, Herbert Lee Frazier III, Reginald Garner. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. 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. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. 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. We Filed: They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. Authorities discovered Harris' body face down on her scorched bed with her ankles and wrists bound on Nov. 28, 2014, the. He testified that at around 7.30am on the 28th of November, he woke when heheard a loud scream. Harris was born in 1983 and grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. Patrick thought that perhaps someone had come to pick Ashlea Harris up for work as her pick-up truck remained in its parking space. She was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole on May 26, 2016. When she was unable to get in the store the first time she walked back to the car. 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. For more on this case and others like it, watch "Snapped," airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen, or stream episodes here. He testified that the presence of. He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. 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. It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Investigators believed Cervantes and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle store. But at least there are some you can understand. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. Get Driving Directions to Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. This was most likely a lighter and the accelerant was rubbing alcohol. 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. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. They also found another lock labeled lock picking practice lock.