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. And Ashlea discovered that Carter was the person due to lock up the night it was stolen and had left the back door open. Another apartment in the complex was on fire. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. Cervantez v. State, No. 02-16-00224-CR | Casetext Search + Citator The Court heard about Ashlea's injuries. Im so sorry I forgot. She was later found in her apartment complex. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. They found ample evidence in both places, including a gun used to pistolwhip Ashlea, receipts for a murder kit, including the duct tape used to bind her, and her blood on the floor mat of their vehicle. Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Ashlea Harris killer Clarence Mallory gets life in prison He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Suspects in capital murder of Fort Worth mall worker schemed their way He determined the source of all the smoke was coming from the bedroom and specifically the bed. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. Take out all the trash andleave that. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. The two men, who were strangers to her, were invited into the apartment by Clarence and she was raped by both of them. Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. Police "developed probable cause" to make the arrests, according to a release. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. It was a direct violation of the company policy, and she started facing flak for her relationship with a subordinate. Police: Suspects arrested in Fort Worth fire, murder s asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Police believed that Ashlea was killed between 4.15am and 7.30am. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. His name was Clarence David Mallory. At Clarence's Trial, he claimed that he was not involved in Ashlea's murder but the Jury also did not believe him and he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. 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. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. She was savagely beaten. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. 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. If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. Ashley Harris - Murdered By American Eagle Co-Workers - CDP Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. The Court heard that police believed that over the course of a few weeks, Carter and Clarence planned to kidnap Ashlea and steal the keys. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. Upon searching Mallorys cell phone there were text messages that contained latitude and longitude coordinates. 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. Clarence David Mallory (age 19) had previously worked for American Eagle at their Amarillo location. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. Shes the one that coordinated everything and came up with the plan.As per official court records, she, 34, is serving her sentence at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville, Texas. The M.E. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. When he looked out the window he witnessed a dark-colored vehicle driving away. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape,. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . He told the Court that he lived in an apartment just, below Ashleas apartment. Steven Lee was an ex-cop who lived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea Harris. Home Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. | Articles She was inside getting some paperwork she needed to complete. Police argue that the couple beat Harris and then set her body on fire, taking the keys to the Hulen Mall American Eagle Outfitters store in order to steal up to $50,000 in profits from a Black Friday sale. He continued to lie in bed wondering what was going on in his upstairs neighbors apartment (Ashleas apartment). They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.". The couple bound Harris, brutally beat her and burned her body and apartment building in order to take the woman's store keys and steal $50,000. 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. Carter's phone:Well, damn. She testified at her own Trial and told the Court that she was afraid of Clarence. out-of-date, incorrect offense/sentence details, record expunged, etc), please send an email to: Violent Offenders: Evidence and Treatment, Prison Suicide: Methods, Risk, and Prevention, Executions and Execution Rates (by State), Childhood Psychopathy Scale (CPS) (41-Item Version), Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), Jung Self-Rating Scale for Depression (SDS), Borderline Personality Disorder Self-Report, California Psychological Inventory (Socialization), Correctional Mental Health Screening for Men, Black Guerilla Family: Prison Gang Profile, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-COG), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form) (GDS-SF), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD or HAM-D), Ohio Risk Assessment System - Pretrial (ORAS-PAT), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), University of Rhode Island Change Assessment(URICA), Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas Inmates & Offenders, https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action?sid=50612977, Search is on for inmate accidentally released from Colorado jail, Search for Escaped Inmate in Ellis County, Search underway after inmate escapes in Sabine Parish, Three inmates escape Athens County correctional facility, one apprehended, Man Accused of Helping Callahan County Inmate Escape Self-Surrenders, Oklahoma DOC unveils new inmate search feature, Search continues for Inmate who escaped from Lawrence County work release, Correctional Facility or Supervision Authority, Department of Corrections Inmate / Offender Record. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. She enters the mall at 7:56 am on November 29th. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. A neighbor told police that he had heard a thump and screaming from the apartment, the police affidavit said. below Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Two arrests made in Fort Worth murder case | wfaa.com Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. At that point, the firefighters had arrived. Examiners Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. . Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. Police spoke to him. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. Once there, she re-hired Mallory. Police discovered that thirty one year old Ashlea Ann Harris lived in the apartment that was on fire. The inside of the apartment and Ashlea's body led police to believe that the fire was not an accidental fire. Court: Court of Appeals Second Appellate District of Texas at Fort Worth, Defendant's Attorney: William H. "Bill" Ray Powered by Shopify. He noticed it because he never saw it parked there before. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. She came from a blended family. All were missing. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. rely on donations for our financial security. Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Saturday Tarrant County Sheriffs arrested 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez. 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. Combined Opinion from An older man offers Chicwanda Forbes the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. For that reason, the fire seemed like an afterthought to me, Fort Worth Police Detective Ernie Pate told Snapped.. Cravey indicated that he did. Police have said they believe that Cervantez, 27, and Clarence David Mallory, 21, beat and bound Harris and then set her body on fire to steal her keys . He asked him why he was in the parking lot so early in the morning. But surveillance video confirmed she was not being truthful and it showed her leaving the mall and walking towards her home. Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. Benbrook man gets life for killing Hulen Mall manager | Fort Worth Star They had been dating which was a violation of store policy. 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 . Patrick Sweet lived in the apartmentbelow Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com, 'Multiple' US Army drill sergeants at Fort Benning suspended after sexual assault allegations surface, 'It's tough to watch him struggle': Hugh Hefner's son opens up about his dad's health struggles as reclusive Playboy founder hasn't been seen in public in over a year, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' 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. The Prosecution believed that the original plan was to kidnap Ashlea using a pistol to threaten her and kill her at a different location but she put up a fight when they entered her apartment and they killed her there instead. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. Ashlea Ann Harris was murdered Nov. 28, 2014, by Clarence David Mallory, 22, and his co-defendant, Carter Carol Cervantes, 28. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. In the meantime, Detective Pate, Cedillos partner, made contact with Mallory. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. When he went to touch her, he saw that her wrists and ankles were duct-taped. They both pleaded not guilty. When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. Where Are Carter Cervantez and David Mallory Today? Update | Advertising They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the Reuters news service. Greed and Hatred Uncovered in Ashlea Harris Murder, A First Look at the Murder of Ashlea Harris, Co-worker Describes Clarence David Mallory: He Seemed Genuine, 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, Firefighters put out the blaze and found 31-year-old Harris dead on her bedroom floor. 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 getinto her Infiniti G35 with a man. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. 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. This was most likely a lighter and the accelerant was rubbing alcohol. Police asked Mallory to see his drivers license which he told them he did not have on him. Chris Cravey later found out that the key that was used to unlock the safe had been left unattended on a table in an area that Cervantez was folding clothes the day before. Her truck was still in the apartment complexs parking lot. Cervantez was recently found guilty of her involvement and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2016, reported the Star-Telegram. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. He testified that the presence of. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. This manager did not close the store that night and did not appear to have the same build as the person in the video. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. 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. No charges were filed against the two. Ashlea Harris Killed By Former Hulen Mall Employees | Crime News Fort Worth homicide has ties to Amarillo - NewsChannel 10 Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. He moved to Ft. Worth and reunited with Carter, who allegedly falsified his social security number to cheat the system and get him employment at the Ft. Worth store. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Cervantes and Mallorys apartment and found a shopping receipt from November 21 for shovels, gloves, duct tape, rope, and a tarp. Get Driving Directions to Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Cerevantez and Mallory had previously worked with Harris at the American Eagle store, but this summer were suspected of stealing $18,000 dollars from it. Mallory and Cervantez reportedly also stole $18,000 from the same store in August of 2014. The term Black Friday originated in Philadelphia to describe heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. However, her loyalty to the store where she was employed would tragically lead to her death. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. From Free Law Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. Around 7:30 am several residents of the River Ranch Apartments located at 4701 King Ranch Road called 911 to report smoke coming from apartment #1505. The surveillance video from the front of the American Eagle store showed that at around 2amonthe 29th of November, someone with a covered face knelt down next to the lock on the gate and attempted to unlock and raise the gate.They were unsuccessful as the locks had been changed. The next day, Mallory drove her back to try again. 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. Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. The locks at American Eagle were for precautionary reasons, Cedillo told Snapped.. Outcome: Having overruled all three of Cervantezs points, we affirm the trial courts Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. 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. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. 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. The fire had been extinguished by then. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. Cravey and Ashlea watched the store surveillance video. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. 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. In August 2016, Clarence David Mallory was found guilty of murder one after one hour of jury deliberation. Authorities discovered Harris' body face down on her scorched bed with her ankles and wrists bound on Nov. 28, 2014, the. There are a lot of people at her apartment complex, which says a lot about the defendants in this case.'. Thats not good. Firefighters put out the blaze and found 31-year-old Harris dead on her bedroom floor. They believed that Carter and Clarencekilled Ashlea as they knew she had the keys for the safe and the plan was to take the keysand go to the American Eagle store to steal the tens of thousands of dollars they knew would be in the safe after Black Friday. After Carters two-door black Infiniti G35 was identified to be on the scene by witnesses and officers followed the couple to the mall the next morning. Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, was taken into custody by Tarrant County Sheriffs on Saturday. Carter's testimony also included an account of a time that she claimed she was raped by two men. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. Police also saw what appeared to be a fresh injury to his lower lip and his lower lip was swollen. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. . Her body was partially burned and she had been beaten. our Backup, Combined Opinion from with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. 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. Police spoke to all of Ashlea'sneighbors. Joyce Marshall jlmarshall@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH. 2023 Chilling Crimes. The Ashlea Harris murder. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Who Killed Her? The couple were arrested this weekend Cervantez in Fort Worth and Mallory in Amarillo on warrants accusing them of capital murder for Harris's slaying and theft $1,500 to $20,000 for the. She and her. He spotted the black Infinity in the apartment parking lot. Chicwanda Forbes has worked hard to make a life for herself in New Orleans, until an older man offers her the attention she craves in exchange for her loyalty. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. The perpetrators had stolen Ashleas store keys and were allegedly planning to break into the store again and steal more money. By 2011, she was an assistant manager at an American Eagle Outfitters store at Fort Worths Hulen Mall. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. 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. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. There was no smoke in her lungs indicating she was not alive when the fire was set. 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." Carter and David were convicted of beating, strangling, and bounding Ashlea and setting fire to her4701 King Ranch Road apartment onNovember 28, 2014, morning. Ashlea worked on November 27th from 5:30 pm until 3:12 am to prep the store for Black Friday. When he realized it was Ashlea's apartment and when he observed her car was still parked outside, he ran upstairs and kicked her door down. Carter did hold this against Ashlea, because Ashlea was the one that turned them in, said Groen. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. She told the Court she did not kill Ashlea and played no part in her death. Detective Cedillo went back to Cervantez apartment and found her in the laundry room this time wearing pink scrubs. 2018) Court of Appeals of Texas Add Note Filed: November 8th, 2018 Precedential Status: Precedential Citations: None known Docket Number: 02-16-00224-CR Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability.