At the police station, police observed that he was wearing a ski mask. Unsure of her career path, Harris began working in retail in her early 20s. Shes the one that coordinated everything and came up with the plan, said Cedillo. 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. 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. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. Cervantes had worked at American Eagle Outfitters for several years and managed a store in Amarillo, Texas. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. Joyce Marshall jlmarshall@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH. Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. Precedential, Citations: Alexis Torres Bunch. 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. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. There were also no signs that a taser had been used on her. A Friday. She recalls being raped multiple times by friends of Mallorys and being coerced into the robbery. Law enforcement officials arrested 19-year-old Clarence Malloy and 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez in the murder of Ashlea Harris, the victim of an early morning fire. Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Prosecutors say Cervantez and her. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw a, black Infiniti G35 driving away. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. Police: Suspects arrested in Fort Worth fire, murder Her lover, David, continued working at the Amarillo store but began to miss shifts regularly. Cravey and Ashlea watched the store surveillance video. On the day after Thanksgiving known in the retail world as Black Friday Harris's. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, was taken into custody by Tarrant County Sheriffs on Saturday. He met his girlfriend Carter Cervantez there. The locks at American Eagle were for precautionary reasons, Cedillo told Snapped.. 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. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. 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 . Due to that, they wanted to speak to the owner of the Infiniti G35. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. The couple lived only two miles from Ashleas apartment. But at least there are some you can understand. They told authorities Harris usually left her keys on the kitchen counter, and that her home and car keys were on the same keychain as the keys to the American Eagle store where she worked. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. Re: Carter Carol Cervantez v. The State of Texas - MoreLaw Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. His name was Clarence David Mallory. Chris looked at Clarence'spersonnel fileanddiscovered thatwhen Carterhired him, she changed his Social Security number and his name in the system so that it would not be detected or show up any red flags. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. 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 . On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. 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. Ashlea's ankles were also bound with duct tape. Blood was found on the floor mats of Cervantes car. | Advertising She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial this week on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on Nov. 28, 2014, the day after Thanksgiving, known commercially as Black Friday. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. . She was tentatively identified by her tattoos. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. Fort Worth police, who had been staking out Cervantez s residence, followed the pair to the mall and arrested Mallory in his car outside after 3 Cervantez went inside. These included a black trash bag, a sharpening stone for a knife, a 9mm cartridge, a cell phone, a walkie-talkie, a buck knife sheath, a plastic tub, mens boots that had a cell phone in them, clothing, a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp still inside the package and a kitchen knife. Video surveillance of the mall showed that at 2 am on Saturday morning someone tried to open the security gate at American Eagle. Dr. Richard Fries, deputy M.E. 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. Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. He was eventually labeled as non-rehirable in the American Eagle system. I need to take care ofthat. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. It took them just two hours to find her guilty and she was sentenced tolife in prison without parole. By this time, Mallory had failed to show up for work on three consecutive days when he was scheduled. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. It matched Ashlea Harris' DNA. She switched his first name with his middle name and changed two digits of his social security number. . Mallory claimed that he was waiting for his girlfriend, who worked at Aeropostale. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. Two arrests made in Fort Worth murder case | wfaa.com Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. Close to $18,000 was missing from the safe. Mallory and Cervantez reportedly also stole $18,000 from the same store in August of 2014. | Link Errors He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. None known, Docket Number: 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. 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. 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. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. Her friend left around 4:40 am with Ashlea locking the door behind her. | Privacy Statement. Her throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. 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 . Jeff Kayser to testify. Police asked Alexis if she knew who drove a black Infiniti G35. She workedas an assistant managerin an American Eagle store in the Hulen Mall. Documents: Hulen Mall employee strangled by former co-workers arrived on the scene. Incriminating texts shown to jury in Black Friday murder trial Officers found Mallory waiting in Cervantes car in the Hulen Mall parking lot and took him into custody. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. He was also found found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the, For more on this case and others like it, watch. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. He was also fired per store policy. The Court heard the two of them returned to the mall at 8am and at that point, were being followed by the police, unbeknownst to them. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. She came from a blended family. Powered by Shopify. And in Fort Worth, Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. The following opinions cover similar topics: CourtListener is a project of Free Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. Investigators determined the fire started in Harris bedroom and that rubbing alcohol had been used as an accelerant, despite its low flammability. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. | Articles Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. Ashlea went through the surveillance footage and alleged Carter and David to be the burglars, as Carter was seen leaving the back door of the store unlocked when she took the garbage out the night before. previously worked at an American Eagle store in Amarillo and was listed in the American Eagle system as, Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told her. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, testified that she was asleep at the time of the murder of Ashlea Harris and was forced into the robbery by her boyfriend, 21-year-old Clarence David Mallory, the Fort. Forth Worth was originally settled in 1849 as a US Army outpost to protect pioneers settling out west. Cervantez asked to speak to the regional manager about her firing, but in the end, handed over her store keys. ", by Chilling Crimes He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. Alexis left after4am. Keith Morrison. 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. Cervantez pleads not guilty. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. However, things went awry after she hired a teen employee named Clarence David Mallory Jr., then 19, and started dating him, as per local reports. Carter Carol Cervantez is a 33 year-old who was listed as being under the supervision of the department of corrections in Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. The two reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. Police have charged Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of their former co-worker, Ashlea Harris, 31. She told the Jury that he controlled her and even told her when she could eat or drink. Their cases were heard separately but the Prosecution case was almost the same for both with the exception that they believed Carter was the mastermind behind the crime. Mallory drove her back to their apartment and friends of Mallory were waiting inside. By Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. 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. She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. When Ashlea arrived for work she discovered that a theft had occurred sometime overnight. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. Firefighters managed to control the fire and it was only then they discovered that Ashlea was inside. 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. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. Court: Court of Appeals Second Appellate District of Texas at Fort Worth, Defendant's Attorney: William H. "Bill" Ray Cervantezs 21 year-old boyfriend Clarence David Mallory has also been charged. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. Carter's case was heard first. He forced her to enter and rob American Eagle at gunpoint and threatened to kill her family if she didnt do what he asked. Ashlea identified Clarence as the person who took the money from the safe from the surveillance footage. 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. Woman Convicted in Death of Former Co-Worker in Fort Worth He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. That was a term the brand used toindicate that the person should not be hired at any location. However, things went awry after she hired a teen employee named Clarence David Mallory Jr., then 19, and started dating him, as per local reports. Then he gathered up some belongings, moved his car away from the building, and waited for the fire department to arrive. Police tracked Cervantes and Mallory to an apartment near the Hulen Mall. Next, he heard what sounded like heavy labored breathing. 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. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. He testified that the presence of. Kevin Rousseau, Tarrant County prosecutor, said of their crime: 'At a minimum this took at least a month of planning. She stole Ashleas keys to commit another theft with an even bigger payoff. 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. carbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. A neighbor told police that he had heard a thump and screaming from the apartment, the police affidavit said. She raises three points on appeal: (1) the trial court erred by denying her counsel's motion to withdraw based on the State's failure to comply with the Michael Morton Act; (2) the trial court erred by admitting recorded statements of her . Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. Ashlea Harris Killed By Former Hulen Mall Employees | Crime News Cravey indicated that he did. Protect yourself and those you love. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. It was their case that they wanted her keys to steal the money from the store but also that they wanted revenge after they held Ashlea responsible for them losing their jobs. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. Cervantez v. State, No. 02-16-00224-CR | Casetext Search + Citator Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. They had been dating which was a violation of store policy. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. It didn't last long. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, Ben Renick case: World-renowned snake breeder murdered. Jeffcrawled midway to the kitchen before he was forced to get out for some air. I didnt touch it. Wallace also determined that the ignition source was an open flame. She was later found in her apartment complex. They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. After that, she went to work. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. He observedthat the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. Both suspects were booked . rely on donations for our financial security. November 8th, 2018, Precedential Status: 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. Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. The prosecution alleged Carter to be the mastermind behind the homicide. Woman Convicted in Death of Former Co-Worker in Fort Worth Patrick was thinking about trying to find out what was going on when he heard Ashleas front door open and then close. He asked him why he was in the parking lot so early in the morning. A friend of hers, Alexis Torres came over. When he went to get her keys he was unable to locate them. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. Many retailers have special markdowns and people lose their minds trying to snatch up the bargains. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. 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. 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. The Court heard that the car was still there when Steven left for work after 7.30am. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. / CBS News/AP. This manager did not close the store that night and did not appear to have the same build as the person in the video. They originally planned to bury Harris at a grave site detectives found north of Abilene, Texas. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. Helived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. The couple had been fired from the American Eagle store at the Hulen Mall after being suspected of stealing nearly $18,000 from the store's safe in August 2014. The Court heard testimony fromAlexis Torres Bunch. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. 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. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. When he went to see why the smoke detector had not gone off he noticed it had been removed and placed under the mattress. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. This case has not yet been cited in our system. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. It included her mother, Monica Cassity, stepfather Daddy Chuck, her father Tommy Harris Sr. and her stepmom Mary Reddy. Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial this week on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on Nov. 28, 2014, the day after Thanksgiving, known commercially as Black Friday. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. Police retraced Ashlea's movements. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. Text messages obtained from Cervantes and Mallorys phones showed them plotting Harris murder as part of a planned Black Friday heist. Cheyenne Roundtree For Dailymail.com He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. A mysterious fire, missing keys, and a black sports car. Under the drivers seat was a 9mm Glock with a round still in the chamber. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. Her bond was set at $500,000. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the Reuters news service. that the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. For My Man - TV One Patrick testified that he thought about what he should do. Cops say Texas woman killed by former co-workers in sick Black Friday ", 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 .