Portland Police Chief Randy Wright confirmed the identities of the two girls to local NBC affiliates and to MSNBC. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. The motive behind these killings remains publicly unknown, but Roel Garza allegedly planned this. Man and wife jailed in 2-year-old attack on female couple near Corpus Christi, Portland police still seek leads in teen couple shooting. Gay rights groups have called for a thorough police investigation into the fatal shooting of a teenage woman and wounding of her girlfriend in the park. Crimes scene investigators take evidence back to their vans Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. The hair was matched to an initial suspect in the crime, Dylan Spellman, who had recently pleaded guilty to his involvement in an armed robbery in Nevada in which he and his cohorts referred to each other by numbers, mirroring the way Mollie and Kristene were referred to as "number one" and "number two" during their assault. I have panic attacks," Chapa said. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night, June 22, 2012, that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. Paroled in December 1978. Orr and prosecutors with the San Patricio County District Attorney's officecould not immediately be reached for comment. He was released on parole in July 1985. 2023 www.caller.com. However, the authorities learned that he used to be friends with David before things fell apart. The document also requestedthe results of DNA testing conducted ona pubic hair that was found onChapa's body. facing charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated sexual assault in the June 23, 2012, attack, who tried to claw her way out of the thorny brush. A resident of a nearby home said that she heard two loud bangs the night of the events, but discounted the sounds as firecrackers. On July 9, 1986, he overcame Kenneth Mayfield, a jailer, and escaped from the prison in Upshur County with Rosalie Williams, another guard, as a hostage. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their sonEli Garza, 5. Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without parole, but the new Dateline episode suggests new DNA evidence could prove someone else was to blame. Attorneys for convicted killer David Strickland are asking for a hearing along with records they hope will prove someone else was to blame for the 2012 double shooting in a Portland park. Jess and Jules Diliberto embrace during a vigil. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. Chapa had to relearn how to walk, talk and even smile again after the attack, she said, noting that she's now "doing well" overall. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. [4] Following intensive care and concerns that the bullet may have left her completely paralyzed,[5] Chapa regained mobility in the left side of her body and helped police create a sketch of the offender.[6][7]. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. But after a police press conference on Saturday announcing the arrest, she told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that though she felt safer: It will never take back the pain and hurt he did to our families. Its a difficult situation when you walk in on a welfare check and then you discover three deceased bodies, and especially ones a child.. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. Kristene Chapa, left, accompanied by her mother Grace Chapa, opened up about a 2012 attack in Texas that killed her girlfriend on "The View," Oct. 29, 2019. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. This is still an active investigation. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. 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A native of Des Moines, Iowa, she holds a Master?s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a Master?s in sociology from Michigan State University. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. Two years after a brutal attack on a female couple near Corpus Christi made national headlines, a break in the case has resulted in two arrests. WebMollie Olgin was a 19-year-old woman murdered on June 22, 2012 in Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas after she and her girlfriend were attacked and shot. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It points out that a jury found "ample evidence" to convict Strickland. In May, Strickland'sattorneyCynthia Orr,Fort Worth lawyer Michael Logan Ware and Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project signed afiling for a proposed order requestingaccess to physical evidence, records and results ofDNA testing, hair and trace evidence, jail phone calls andrecorded interviews of the other man. In September 2016, David stood trial for the shooting. Dateline originally aired an episode on the case in 2017 after a San Patricio County Judge found David Strickland, a Portland, Texas, man, guilty of capital murder. The chief described the mother as struck multiple times in the head., We had four officers on scene, and it was rough on them, Cory said. [9], Layton Police investigating the burglary had discovered evidence in Strickland's car including two guns, ammunition, a suppressor, gloves and a backpack containing condoms, flex handcuffs, bolt cutters, a knife and other items. A couple out bird watching the next morning found the girls Olgin had died but Chapa, who tried to claw her way out of the thorny brush, was alive. [4][7] The Texas Appeals Court affirmed the conviction and sentence in November 1993. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. The letter also included a picture of the accused man along with the words, I was told to deliver this or die. Strickland's appealis still making it's way through the legal system. In the beginning, the authorities used Kristenes help to create a composite sketch of the attacker. Marshals, Texas Rangers and the police officers from Portland, where the attack occurred, detained Strickland and his wife, Laura Kimberly, 23. Thanks everyone for the texts, messages, and calls but my family and I are just kinda in shock and just shook up, Chapa wrote on Facebook after the arrest was made. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe, After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers. Previously, DNA found on a cigarette butt and energy drink can at the scene both matched to Spellman. Dateline originally aired an episode on the case in 2017 after a San Patricio County Judge found David Strickland, a Portland, Texas, man, guilty of capital murder. A search of his belongings also revealed a letter similar to the one received by the Chapa family. "We don't want that person to have knowledge of the warrant and be tipped off.". "I kept waiting. Sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1973 for two counts of rape. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Chapa attributed a large part of her recovery to her family, especially her mother Grace Chapa, who stayed with her in a physical rehabilitation center for three-and-a-half months. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. "While we know the community has many questions, this is still an active investigation and we would not want to do anything to jeopardize the case," Portland Police Chief Gary Giles said in a news release. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. 0:59 David Strickland was not the person who killed a 19-year-old in a Portland park, and new DNA evidence proves it, attorneys for Strickland say. (PHOTOS: Teens in America: Class Pictures). A series of fortunate events has led us to this point and I'm just very happy that we could help in at least at this point in bringing him to justice., Hes a stone cold killer who thought he got away with murder, but will finally pay for his crime, said Robert R. Almonte, United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas. But he could smile at my family and taunt them," she continued. More:Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? Mollie, 19, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead on the scene. "We are confident that we have the person responsible for this horrific crime in custody. Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. [2], On June 23, 2012, birdwatchers at Violet Andrews Park called police after discovering two women's bodies lying below a viewing deck. Chief Wright said that although the events did seem more like measured attacks than a random action, they were not currently investigating the murder as a hate crime. [9] A draft of the letter to the Chapa family was found on Strickland's computer. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [6], In 2018, advances in testing technology allowed for DNA identification of a hair found on Chapa's body. 0:59 David Strickland was not the person who killed a 19-year-old in a Portland park, and new DNA evidence proves it, attorneys for Strickland say. Elizabeth Valadez of Corpus Christi, Texas, writes a message on one of the posts Friday, June 29, 2012 as other friends and supporters write messages on a large sheet behind her during a vigil for teens Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. Thats always something that were looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack, Wright said. All rights reserved. I stared at him, right, whenever I was testifying, and not one look. Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. She has recovered those abilities but was still recently undergoing physical rehabilitation. December 17, 2021 In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. "He's behind bars because of me, so he's watching this right now.". Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. People run under a giant rainbow flag after a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. About 100 people came out for the vigil to remember Olgin, who died June 23 at the park, and show their support for Chapa, who is in the hospital in stable condition. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. [8] The letter accused a Layton, Utah, man of the murder of Olgin; police found that the man had an alibi. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. Here's the latest. More: David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Sign up to have news emailed to you daily, David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. First responders discovered Mollie Olgin and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa. Additionally, a firearms expert at the Texas Department of Public Safety testified that the bullet casing at the scene likely matched Strickland's handgun. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for the two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. Olgin had already died of a gunshot wound to the head, and Chapa was in grave condition but survived to tell about the ordeal. Three days later, the bodies of Boone and Turner were discovered, with gunshot wounds being the cause of death. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. [3], Police used GPS to discover that David Strickland's cell phone had been near the Chapa home when the letter had been hand-delivered. Chapa, now 27, survived. It was sufficient evidence for the jury, and, regardless of the veracity of this alleged DNA test results is still sufficient evidence to sustain the conviction," the motion states. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. After an investigation, police confirmed that Garza shot his child and wife, and then took his own life shortly after hanging up with Portland PD. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. DNA evidence was collected from the bodies at this time. He is charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 2012 attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. She is charged with tampering with evidence in connection with the 2012 attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. Sign up for breaking news alerts from NBC News. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. Neighbors described Jennifer Phillips as, in the words of KRIS-TV, the heart of the community, and Eli as a playful soul., [Screengrab of memorial for Jennifer Phillips and Eli Garza at their home via KIII], Have a tip we should know? The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. There were some measures taken by the suspect Mr. Garza earlier in the evening in preparatory of this double homicide, Cory told reporters, according to KRIS-TV. His wife faces charges of tampering with evidence. We need time to let it sink and just process the news we've waited on for 2 years. Police Chief Randy Wright says there's no evidence that the attack was motivated by their relationship. Vigils for the women are also scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Texas, among other cities. The Portland Police Department released this sketch July 4, 2012, in the attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. The following morning, a couple discovered the bodies of the two women in knee-high grass near a scenic lookout in the park, police said. [12][13], On September 28, 2016, a San Patricio County jury found David Strickland guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. The prosecution did not pursue the death penalty, and therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Dateline originally aired an episode on the case in 2017 after a San Patricio County Judge found David Strickland, a Portland, Texas, man, guilty of capital murder. He was arrested on 6 May, after a police report from a couple he had attacked by the lake on the day of the murder. A psychologist also concluded in 2009 that David had hallucinations and suicidal ideations. Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, and her girlfriend, Mollie Olgin, 19, were shot in the head at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas on June 22. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. Though he was suspected by police for two years, hewas never charged in the case. About 50 people attended a candle light vigil held for Mollie Judith Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. He was also seen talking to people at the crime scene, telling them that his partner, Laura, knew one of the victims. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora), A crime scene investigator takes pictures of an evidence marker near some playground equipment Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. DNA testing was previously pending ona pubichair found on Chapa. The women had been sexually assaulted and shot in the head around midnight the previous evening. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. He contacted family members Friday evening, said Cory, who did not elaborate much. Chapa spoke on Tuesday to "The View's" co-hosts including Sunny Hostin, host of the show "Truth About Murder," who revisits the investigation with Chapa about the attack, her miraculous recovery and testifying during Strickland's trial. [16], In 2017, Kristene Chapa filed a lawsuit against David Strickland, his father Larry Joe Strickland, and Taft Pharmacy, the family business, seeking $500 million in damages. Gay rights groups have called for a thorough police investigation into the fatal shooting of a teenage woman and wounding of her girlfriend in the park. Theresa Garnero and Rosie Castillo embrace during a vigil. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September 2016. Photos of Mary Kristene Chapa (left) and her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin that were given to people attending a candle light vigil for the girls Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. Every episode of ABC's award-winning talk show "The View" is now available as a podcast! The type of DNA testing being done uses technology that wasn't available at the time of Strickland's trial. I want to have my independence back.". And it wont bring Mollie back, she said. "It's difficult for the citizens of this community, it's difficult on the officers of this department, It's difficult with everybody that was involved at the scene," said Portland PD Cheif Mark Cory.
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