a, perhaps with children of their own. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Blame the Federal Reserve. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? 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. 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. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. A red nylon belt, with an attacker tugging at each end, was pulled so tightly around Ertman's neck the belt snapped. "It's a little late," Ertman said. After the gang left, Christina Cantu convinced Joe Cantu to report the crime to police. Their deaths resulted in an outpouring of grief in the local community and spurred changes in criminal legislation in the state of Texas, which enabled the families of crime victims to speak to the defendant at trial and witness the execution of said defendant. She'd been raped and eviscerated. They probably would be married women now. Five others were convicted of capital murder in the case. Memorials to Ertman and Pea in TC Jester Park: In the background is the railroad bridge where the two were initially attacked. Both had observed Pea and Ertmans' abduction, initial assault, and screams for help. In July, the World Court ordered a stay of Medelln's execution. The families of both Ertman and Pea strongly favored the execution(s). Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Four days later, when searchers finally found Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, their bodies were unrecognizable. Sources: Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell Christina Cantu questioned why Villarreal was bleeding, and Prez had a bloody shirt. 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. Derrick O'Brien, belted to a gurney, looked through the death chamber It was Cantu who asserted Ertman and Pea had to be killed so as not to later bear witness against them. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. <<
GREAT NEWS! O'Brien was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m., seven minutes after the lethal drugs began. Both then completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Pea's presence. Cantu's brother, Joe, testified about what inspired him to call police. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. 73 0 obj
In 2005, President George W. Bush ordered hearings to be held. "Look at me. Weve updated the security on the site. Add to your scrapbook. 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. 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. Governor Rick Perry argued that Texas is not bound to World Court rulings. During the trial, the Ertmans asked to address the court. RELATED: Haunting killings of 2 Houston teens leaves lasting legacy for victim's rights, At least 29 dead, 85 injured after trains collide in Greece: officials, Driver feedback needed for 3-mile Hardy Toll extension into downtown, Man found dead in middle of Fort Bend County crosswalk, police say. 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. The. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. There are multiple parking options available for those looking to attend the Houston Rodeo. Instead, they stumbled on to a gang initiation and they were tortured, assaulted and killed. 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. Their photos are familiar now, attached to countless news reports since then: the same two pictures, teen girls who despite the makeup were girls still. They should have hung them. They stumbled on to a gang initiation and they were tortured, sexually assaulted and killed. Try again later. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Ertman and Pena were headed home from a party, and took a shortcut to make it home by their 11 p.m. curfew the night they were killed. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Join us as we discuss this heinous attack. 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. O'Brien was one of six members of a fledgling street gang arrested in the slayings of Elizabeth Pena, 16,. . to Ertman. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. 0000001187 00000 n
Make sure that the file is a photo. He was 35 and had lived on death row longer than his victims were alive. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murder. English "I told him to stick it. The Ertmans left without saying a word. A system error has occurred. GREAT NEWS! According to later testimony, on one occasion, Pea glanced in the direction of her younger friend as she herself was raped by Efrain Prez and began weeping as she observed Ertman. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. "He should have been hung outside the courthouse," Ertman said in an Medellin's brother, Jose, was put to death in 2008. We have set your language to [16], Realizing that the girls would be capable of identifying them, Cantu[17] ordered the members to kill the girls. C.E. Outside the girls' school, Waltrip High, death penalty opponents were calling for a halt to all executions in Texas. /Size 89
Jos Medelln was executed at 9:57 pm on August 5, 2008, after his last-minute appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court. Because of their deaths, the state allows victim impact statements and Randy Ertman was the first to do it when he confronted the six convicted killers in court, all of them sentenced to death. The execution of, Now 35, Cantu declined requests for an interview. Jester Park. The architect of their deaths will pay with his own life Tuesday evening. Their photos are familiar now, attached to countless news reports since then: the same two pictures, teen girls who despite the makeup were girls still. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. ", It also had other ramifications. /Prev 62433
Prior to his execution, O'Brien expressed his regrets for his actions to the families of Pea and Ertman. . Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman were friends who went to Waltrip High School in Houston. Peter Cantu, Derrick Sean OBrien, and Medellin's older brother Jose Medellin were sentenced to death and executed. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Home / Uncategorized / murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. "This was so senseless. This browser does not support getting your location. 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. As both girls exited the car, Pea assured her mother she and her friend would be home by their agreed 11:30 p.m. Try again. And Cantu's brother, upset at the gang's gloating about having fun with the girls, called police. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Four days later, when searchers finally found Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena, their bodies were unrecognizable. >>
Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. window at Ertman and other relatives of the girls and called his 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.". ). [5], Jos Medelln was executed at 9:57p.m. on August 5, 2008, after his last-minute appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court. [23] Both bodies had significantly decomposed, and dental records were used for identification. Ertman and Pea passed the gang and one member, Jos Medelln, attempted to grope and pinch one of Pea's breasts. As a general rule, immediate family members, grandparents, and other close family members can request and will be transferred management of the memorial. Wage growth is slowing. 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. Houston was stunned when Cantu and his gang were arrested. [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. He was sentenced under juvenile guidelines because he was 14 at the time of the crime. Court appeals to delay the punishment appeared exhausted. /E 11282
In that case, a 27-year-old woman was found at a Houston park with her throat cut. Put a needle in her arm and just go to sleep. There was a problem getting your location. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. 0000001544 00000 n
I ain't ever gonna hear that again, that hurts," said Randy Ertman, the victim's father. 72 17
Medelln reported that he had killed a girl, and noted that he would have found it easier with a gun. Failed to remove flower. front of [Houston] City Hall, they've got all these beautiful trees. Jester Park. 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. 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. Wage growth is slowing. New development was everywhere, spurred by a mayor and city council devoted to the cause of building. When the teacher told Cantu the trouble he would get into for such a thing, he said he didn't care. Jester Park in northwest Houston. Search above to list available cemeteries. They are both buried at Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery. In June 1993, Houston was busy reveling in the boom after the bust. 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. 0000004381 00000 n
Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. 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. August 17, 2010 / 5:39 PM The case was also notable in that the state of Texas rejected attempts by the International Court of Justice to halt several perpetrators' executions. Huntsville Unit prison. Three were executed, and the rest are still in prison. You're the worst thing I've ever seen. 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 after the murders, the girls' bodies were found in the park during hot weather conditions. "I'd like to have heard, the last 17 years, someone say 'I love you, dad.' Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. /PageLayout /SinglePage
Two of them will come up for parole in 2028. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Elizabeth Christine Pea I found on Findagrave.com. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Death penalty opponents protested the impending execution. They were both abducted and murdered. [n 2] 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. 0
"This is. His stinging denunciation of Cantu, pain evident in each word, reached a climax when Cantu turned away from the grieving father and Ertman yelled, "You look at me! He then apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Search above to list available cemeteries. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Kahan assisted the girl's parents in changing state policy to allow relatives of victims to witness executions. Venancio received a 40-year prison sentence. He received a 40-year prison sentence, the maximum for a juvenile, for the sexual assault of Jennifer Ertman. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. "Most people know it from the defendant's name. Pea brushed aside Medelln's hand and continued walking. Cantu's execution won't quite bring an end to the legal saga that followed. Cantu had been troubled and violent since his early youth. be a deterrent.". 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. /PageMode /UseNone
If you're planning on using the METRO to helo you get to and from the Houston Rodeo, here's everything you need to plan out your ride! Their bodies were found four days later. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. to Ertman. 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. Medellin was among six gang members who were sentenced. /CS1 [ /Pattern /DeviceGray ] /CS2 [ /Pattern /DeviceRGB ] >> /Font << /F9
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