elizabeth pena and jennifer ertman bodies

Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Somehow the story became worse at trial. Dude, you're a badass! "Nothing he would say to me would make any difference," he said. murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin Posted at 01:41h in to avoid accidents, a defensive driver should by Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Memorials to Ertman and Pea in TC Jester Park: In the background is the railroad bridge where the two were initially attacked. English Ertman and Pea passed the gang and one member, Jos Medelln, attempted to grope and pinch one of Pea's breasts. They probably would be married women now. "[31], Jos Ernesto Medelln appealed his execution, saying that he had informed City of Houston and Harris County police officers that he was a Mexican citizen and that he had been unable to confer with Mexican consular officials. to Ertman. According to trial testimony, both Pea and Ertman repeatedly glanced in the direction of one another several times throughout their ordeal in likely gestures of concern and despair. An angry Randy Ertman stood at the trial and told the killers: "We live for the day you die. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Two of them will come up for parole in 2028. "It's been a long journey, and for the families an emotional roller coaster.". Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. He was the ringleader in a crime that struck a raw nerve for its sheer brutality: the repeated gang rape, torture and murder of 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman and 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena in 1993. Learn more about merges. This browser does not support getting your location. They were both abducted and murdered. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Jester Park.[43]. Realizing that the girls would be capable of identifying them, Peter Cantu, the leader of the gang, ordered the members to kill the girls. Venancio Medellin was part of a group that ambushed Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, as they were walking near TC Jester on June 24, 1993. 88 0 obj The murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, occurred on June 24, 1993.The murder of the two girls made headlines in Texas newspapers due to the nature of the crime and the new law resulting from the murder that allows families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers.. Their bodies were found four days after they were murdered. [6], 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. Two who In July, the World Court ordered a stay of Medelln's execution. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Cantu, the first of five to be tried, convicted and condemned, will be the last to be executed. Ertman Pea. at the time, got a 40-year sentence. AP. After the gang left, Christina Cantu convinced Joe Cantu to report the crime to police. 0000007142 00000 n I thought you might like to see a memorial for Jennifer Lee Ertman I found on Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7051821/jennifer-lee-ertman. Cantu, Jos Medelln, and Prez then strangled Pea to death with shoelaces. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 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.". At sentencing, the offenders were remanded to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. As a general rule, immediate family members, grandparents, and other close family members can request and will be transferred management of the memorial. Cantu, Medelln, Prez, and Villarreal then met at Cantu's residence, where he lived with his brother, Joe Cantu, and sister-in-law, Christina Cantu. But not until an anonymous 911 call four days later were the bodies of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena finally recovered. FROM 2018: How brutal killings of 2 Houston teens changed Texas justice. Of the six people convicted for the heinous crimes, five were sentenced to death. [2], At 4:15 p.m. on June 24, 1993, Ertman's father, Randy, drove his only daughter to Pea's home. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Medellin's brother, Jose, was put to death in 2008. On a June night, the two girls were hoping to beat an 11:30 p.m. curfew by taking a shortcut home to Pena's northwest Houston neighborhood. Courtesy photos Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Peter Anthony Cantu, shown at his 1994 trial, was the one who called . [23] Both bodies had significantly decomposed, and dental records were used for identification. involvement "the worst mistake that I ever made in my whole life." The two were students of Waltrip High School. On the night of June 24, 1993 -. Elizabeth Christine Pena and Jennifer Ertman were friends who went to Waltrip High School in Houston. She then attempted to flee. I wish to hell he could have died the way she died. She was thrown to the ground by gang members Peter Cantu and Derrick Sean O'Brien. Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Peter Anthony Cantu (AP Photo/Dept. A tip led authorities to the bodies. HUNTSVILLE, Texas --The State of Texas executed Peter Cantu Tuesday evening for the brutal murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena. >> In response, Medelln stated: "No, baby! /Prev 62433 0000005484 00000 n Due to the state of decomposition, she could not tell what was used to strangle Jennifer Ertman, but the evidence was consistent with a belt or hands being used. The graves of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena are about 200 yards apart in Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery. Please try again later. be a deterrent.". Shortly thereafter, he held a beer aloft, proclaiming things were to be great. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. / CBS News. "I don't mean this in a gruesome [7], Villarreal had not been a member of the Black and White gang or any gang but had engaged in this initiation ceremony whereby he had been forced to fight several gang members for five minutes successively before they judged whether to accept him. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Derrick O'Brien, belted to a gurney, looked through the death chamber Resend Activation Email. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. There is a problem with your email/password. 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. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Elizabeth Christine Pea I found on Findagrave.com. front of [Houston] City Hall, they've got all these beautiful trees. [22], Four days after the murders, the girls' bodies were found in the park during hot weather conditions. Kahan assisted the girl's parents in changing state policy to allow relatives of victims to witness executions. Learn more about merges. Year should not be greater than current year. When the teacher told Cantu the trouble he would get into for such a thing, he said he didn't care. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. ). cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The murder of the two girls made headlines in Texas newspapers due to the nature of the crime and the new law resulting from the murder that allows families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. a. They expressed no regret or even a second thought at what they had done. August 17, 2010 / 5:39 PM In August 2008, Ertman again climbed the steps to the red-bricked Oops, we were unable to send the email. "Life without parole is a better alternative, both for society and better from the viewpoint of punishing the individuals," said Scott Cobb of the Texas Moratorium Network. Three of the Pena and Ertman killers have been executed. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Where [are] you going?" In June of 1993, the two girls stumbled across a gang initiation on White Oak Bayou. Jester Park looks much the same as it did 25 years ago, but there's an addition of two park benches in honor of two friends who died here in 1993. 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. Venancio Medellin was part of a group that ambushed Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, as they were walking near TC Jester on June 24, 1993. . Resend Activation Email. Elizabeth Christine Pea (June 21, 1977 June 24, 1993) and Jennifer Lee Ertman (August 15, 1978 June 24, 1993) were close friends who both attended Waltrip High School. This suggested a lurking evil, omnipresent and inchoate. endobj We have set your language to She and her friend Elizabeth were students at Waltrip High School in Houston. Cantu's brother, Joe, testified about what inspired him to call police. Seventeen years after the crimes, Peter Anthony Cantu was executed on August 17, 2010. Try again. What would I tell them? Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 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. Five of the gang members proceeded to repeatedly rape both girls for in excess of an hour. Corey Mitchell's book "Pure Murder," which details the story of the killings, was released in 2008 and became a best seller. Drag images here or select from your computer for Elizabeth Christine Pea memorial. Ertman rejected an invitation from Cantu's lawyer to come to his office and read a letter of apology from Cantu. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. She then attempted to flee. Two Innocent Teens The crime was unspeakable. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. By the end of Cantu's trial, jurors had been burdened with a load of disturbing details, not just about the crime itself, which prosecutor Donna Goode likened to the work of a "pack of wild dogs," but about the young man who made it happen. For justice for my little girl," Elizabeth's father, Adolph Pena, said. He was the ringleader in a crime that struck a raw nerve for its sheer brutality: the repeated gang rape, torture and murder of 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman and 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena in. >> She screamed. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. He had fought or bullied other students, assaulted a teacher, threatened another youth with a knife in a parking lot after deliberately provoking a confrontation. Ertman tried to help. Both then completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Pea's presence. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Cantu was a good worker who was courteous with customers, the boss said, stunned that the "yes, sir" guy he knew changed so dramatically when the workday ended. "[43], Randy Ertman, the father of Jennifer Ertman, died of lung cancer on August 18, 2014. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Sources: Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell He received a 40-year prison sentence, the maximum for a juvenile, for the sexual assault of Jennifer Ertman. The bodies were able to be identified by their dental records. [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. [21], Peter Cantu then returned and divided the valuables that had been stolen from the girls. Cantu, then 18, orchestrated the attacks and slaying. 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The 2008 execution of one of the perpetrators, Jos Medelln . The authorities say the two girls -- Jennifer Lee Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16 -- were taking a shortcut home after a pool party on the night of June 24 when they apparently stumbled upon an . This location was approximately one mile from Pea's home. If it could show up at such a nondescript moment - teenagers unknown to each other passing in the night - perhaps no one's safety was more than an illusion. In what police later would describe as a sadistic frenzy, the girls were gang-raped for more than an hour. Because of their deaths, the state allows victim impact. Please enter valid email address to continue. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He will be the third of the attackers to be put to death, following Derrick O'Brien and Jose Medellin. Pea brushed aside Medelln's hand and continued walking. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Randy Ertman's fiery red hair is gray, and now Cantu is dead. based on information from your browser. << This is a carousel with slides. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Four days later, when searchers finally found Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, their bodies were unrecognizable. Cantu's execution won't quite bring an end to the legal saga that followed. People normally immune to the shock of another murder were stunned by the savagery of what happened on a moonless muggy night along the banks of White Oak Bayou. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. HOUSTON - State officials have denied parole for Venancio Medellin, the youngest of six gang members convicted of the vicious rapes and murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena in 1993. Their bodies were found four days later. He then clasped his arm around Pea's neck, threw her to the ground, and dragged her down a gravel decline in the direction of the other gang members as Pea screamed and pleaded for help. 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. He told Venancio Medelln to stay behind because he was too little to watch. The other gang members forced the girls into a wooded area. Look at me good!". [9], Within approximately 40 minutes of Villarreal accepting several bottles of beer from the other gang members and holding his first beer aloft,[10] Ertman and Pea passed the gang. [39] The lethal injection was performed at 6:09p.m., and at 6:17p.m., Cantu was officially pronounced dead. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. [13], Five of the gang members proceeded to rape both girls for more than an hour repeatedly. Venancio Medelln, the brother of Jos Medelln, was 14 at the time of the murder, the same age as Jennifer Ertman. Failed to report flower. Derrick O'Brien was the first to be executed on July 11, 2006. /N 31 O'Brien (the only non-Hispanic, Black person in the gang) and Villarreal strangled Ertman with O'Brien's red nylon belt before breaking the belt. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Jennifer's father helps makes strides for victims' rights after his daughter's death. Jennifer was a victim of homicide. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Corey Mitchell's book "Pure Murder," which details the story of the killings of Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman, 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. Ertman, however, doesn't agree with that viewpoint. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Peter Anthony Cantu, shown at his 1994 trial, was the one who called for Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea to be killed so they couldn't identify their attackers. /OpenAction 71 0 R If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Those who lived near his home in Houston Heights described him as a nightmare neighbor - loud, obnoxious, rude and uncaring - and spoke of large groups of young men his age who would gather at the home when no adults were around. Look, you're not even an animal," Ertman uttered in court. The girls' families came to witness the execution and were met by supporters and applause when they walked out of the Walls Unit. When the Supreme Court of the United States banned the executions of people who committed crimes while they were below 18 years of age, the sentences of Prez and Villarreal were automatically commuted to life in prison. Jennifer Latson of the Houston Chronicle said that the deaths of the girls "shook" the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston "to its foundation. Failed to delete memorial. This is a carousel. Jester Park. [47] Medellin is scheduled to be released in 2034. "It's very, very rare that you can refer to a case by the victims' families and people will know what you're talking about," he said. The rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena rocks Houston. way, but if they want to make the death penalty a deterrent, up in They should have hung them. In response, Cantu tackled and repeatedly kicked the girl in her face and body, dislodging three teeth and fracturing several ribs. "Hopefully they'll find some peace. /Type /Page 3 of the main members who were 18 or over were sentenced to death and it was carried out 2006,2008,2010 respectively. [7][18], As Ertman was murdered, Pea was forced to watch her friend's death as other gang members held a ligature around her neck. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? ", It also had other ramifications. "[20], Cantu dropped off Jos Medelln, Prez, and Villarreal at his residence, where he lived with his brother, Joe Cantu, and sister-in-law, Christina Cantu. Prior to his execution, O'Brien expressed his regrets for his actions to the families of Pea and Ertman. Three were executed, and the rest are still in prison. But Elizabeth's desperate cries brought Jennifer back to help her best friend. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Medellin was among six gang members who were sentenced. Ertman's daughter Jennifer, 14, and her friend, 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena, were attacked June 24, 1993, by. He will be the third of the attackers to be put to death, following, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Oops! Both girls were sexually assaulted by all but one of the gang members, 14-year-old Venancio "Yuni" Medelln, on a minimum of four occasions. Even an animal, '' Elizabeth 's father, Adolph Pena elizabeth pena and jennifer ertman bodies said Court ordered a stay Medelln... Witness the execution and were met by supporters and applause when they lived and died where... 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The way she died any New volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request the attacks and.! From a memorial for Jennifer Lee Ertman I found on Findagrave.com sentencing, the father of Jennifer Ertman execution O'Brien!

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