February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. He was able to determine that the fire had multiple points of origin. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? He testified that the presence ofpetechiae in Ashleas eyes reflected asphyxia or strangulation and that afractured cricoid is: the least common place wesee fractures in asphyxia or strangulation-type deaths because it consists of cartilagethat is pliable.". They founda plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. The video showed what looked to be a male wearing a hoodie entering the back door. Communication between Mallory and Cervantez led police to a shallow hole in a town more than a hundred miles away. It was a direct violation of the company policy, and she started facing flak for her relationship with a subordinate. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. 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. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez, 26, and Clarence David Mallory, 19, are both being held on $600,000 bond. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. As word of the fire spread throughout the community, Harris friends rushed to the scene, desperate for information. 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. Both Cervantez and Mallory worked with Harris at the American Eagle store before being fired. Ashlea felt that the perpetrator was Mallory. They went directly to the safe where the night deposits were kept, unlocked it, and took the cash inside. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. But on the morning of November 28, 2014, a call came into the Fort Worth Fire Department from the River Ranch Apartments, where Harris lived. She also accused the black-hooded male, caught on camera breaking into the store safe and stealing the money, as David. None known, Docket Number: NBCs Black Friday chronicles how Ashlea Harris was murdered by two spiteful former co-workers, Carter Cervantez and David Mallory, in Fort Worth, Texas, in November 2014. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Saturday Tarrant County Sheriffs arrested 25-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez. Though Mallory was arrested for driving without a license, he was also released from custody. Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. The apartment was filled with smoke. . Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. Many retailers have special markdowns and people lose their minds trying to snatch up the bargains. She was inside getting some paperwork she needed to complete. At the police station, police observed that he was wearing a ski mask. But prosecutors said Cervantez planned the crime, which involved stealing Harris' keys to the American Eagle Outfitters store at Hulen Mall in Fort Worth so the couple could take the cash from the store. 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. Ashlea was the mom of the store. , updated Chris told police that a former employee at American Eagle, Carter Carol Cervantez, drove a similar car. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. Listen to the story of how Ashlea Harris fought for her life upsetting the plans of two nefarious killers who wanted a big pay off. However, the police arrested David in the mall parking area after finding he carried no license, and officers went to their apartment and brought Carter in for questioning. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. She admitted that she tried to access the American Eagle store but claimed she only did so because Clarence threatened to kill her if she didn't . On Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday, those were our highest deposit days, said Groen. They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.'. While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. The scream was followed by a loud thud and hecould hear labored breathing. <p>Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. Clarence's phone-We left it.
The two disappeared after the theft and were not arrested until police tracked them down on Dec. 6. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. 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Prosecutors say Cervantez and her. She was strangled, her throat cut, and ultimately asphyxiated. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. | Recent Lawyer Listings Harris autopsy pointed to a rage killing. She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. Ashlea Harris looked to have severe head trauma. Read More: Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? They also found a toboggan with a hole cut in it, a tarp stillinside the package and a kitchen knife. 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. She transferred to the Hulen Mall location and held an assistant store manager position. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. arrived on the scene. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. Cervantez is being held in the Fort Worth Jail. He observed. Dr Fries testified that the injuries on Ashlea's face were caused by multiple blows. They were caught within days after several witnesses identified their vehicle to be present at the crime scene and supplied the police with a strong motive for them to commit the homicide. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. Like Harris, Cervantez was an assistant manager. It turns out that Clarence was also a former employee of American Eagle. All were missing. It was then he saw a body. However, they were never charged or arrested for allegedly committing the robbery. (Fort Worth PD) Harris, who was a manager at the store, had. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Another store employee watched the video and agreed with Ashlea based on the suspects physical appearance. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. The Ashlea Harris murder. It matched Ashlea Harris' DNA. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. Carter was arrested the following day by Tarrant County deputies. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. 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. First published on December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM. He observedthat the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. 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. Rousseau added: 'Imagine the horror, someone is probably sitting on you while someone else is taping up your hands and then your ankles. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. Police observed that she hadsuperficial scratches on her arms. So why did they kill Ashlea? On the day after Thanksgiving known in the retail world as Black Friday Harris's. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. He testified that the presence of. Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, was taken into custody by Tarrant County Sheriffs on Saturday. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. It had its lights off as it left the parking space in front of Ashleas apartment. Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. The manner of Ashlea's death was ruled as a homicide. Ashlea was appointed to run the store while Cravey was out on medical leave. The inside of the apartment and Ashlea's body led police to believe that the fire was not an accidental fire. Her throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. No charges were filed against the two. The M.E. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. Whoever was the last person to leave had locked the door behind them. 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. Keith Morrison. A 911 call was made by a resident at an apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, United States to ask for help. August 20, 2021, "Evil people always support each other; that is their chief strength.". The investigators hypothesized setting the residence on fire had been an abrupt change of plans. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. One of the investigators alleged, It was evident to us that Carter was the mastermind behind this and I think David was the muscle. Home Then he gathered up some belongings, moved his car away from the building, and waited for the fire department to arrive. Posted on May 27, 2016. A neighbor told police that he had heard a thump and screaming from the apartment, the police affidavit said. At the apartment, detectives found a box containing a taser in the trash, strands of duct tape, and a damaged deadbolt lock. Police say Harris worked a late night Black Friday shift at the American Eagle store in a mall in Fort Worth and arrived home around 3:15 a.m. A neighbor below Harris told police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing around 7:30 a.m. His carbon monoxide detector then went off, and water from the sprinklers in Harris' apartment came through his ceiling. This was most likely a lighter and the accelerant was rubbing alcohol. She was the one that you wanted to like you because if you got on her bad side there was no coming back from it. 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. Detective Cedillo went back to Cervantez apartment and found her in the laundry room this time wearing pink scrubs. | Store When he went to touch her, he saw that her wrists and ankles were duct-taped. So what was the motive for such a savage attack? She and her. Mark Sedwick, a special agent with the FBI and a member of the Cellular Analysis Survey Team, testified as to the content of texts that had been sent at 11.52amon the 28th of November between Clarence's phoneandCarter's phone: Carter's phone-Hey, remember that thing you said I didnt clean well?Did you clean it? Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas Amarillo Globe-News newspaper. January 17, 2022 They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. 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. Thats not good. After more evidence is gathered they are arrested on December 4, 2014. 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. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. Clarence Mallory Jr. and Carter Cervantez are accused of murdering Ashlea Harris after she left her job late at night at a mall in Fort Worth. SHARE NEXT UP Young Woman in the Center of a Murder | For My Man S6/EP27 | Airdate: Nov 29, 2021 <span>Runtime: 00:01:30</span> 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 have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. He took photos of the various items found in the car. Police began talking to neighbors including Patrick Sweet, who told them about the unusual sounds he heard coming from Ashleas apartment that morning. Police "developed probable cause" to make the arrests, according to a release. There are predators everywhere. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. Carter's case was heard first. According to local news reports,the opening manager discovered $17,850.32 had been stolen from the safe. Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. She was sentenced / adjudicated in Runnels County, Winters. Her bond was set at $500,000. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. She was tentatively identified by her tattoos. He heard a scream at around 7.30am. Close to $18,000 was missing from the safe. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. She was savagely beaten. Carter worked thereas an assistant manager and she hired her boyfriend Clarence to work at the same store. 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. Around 8 am Ft. Worth Fire Department Lt. Jarrod Pavlechko arrived on the scene. A. loaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Hetestified that it looked like a human grave. Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. 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. 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." Text messages obtained from Cervantes and Mallorys phones showed them plotting Harris murder as part of a planned Black Friday heist. Police searched their apartment. Ashlea suspended Carter and one week later, Chris called Carter and told herthat she had beenterminated for leaving the store unsecured. Patrick Sweet lived in the apartmentbelow Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. He had looked at his alarm clock and saw the time was 7:30 am. We Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. She quickly walks away. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. He was unable to find a pulse. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. She testified at her own Trial and told the Court that she was afraid of Clarence. At that point, no one other than law enforcement knew that there was any keys missing. If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. 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. She switched his first name with his middle name and changed two digits of his social security number. 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 . 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. 2023 Chilling Crimes. It was the Prosecution's case that Carter and Clarencehad a couple of different reasons to want to harm Ashlea. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Ashlea was found lying face down on the floor of her bedroom. Cervantezs 21 year-old boyfriend Clarence David Mallory has also been charged. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County Medical. The deposit was somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000. At that point, the firefighters had arrived. 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. January 25, 2022, "The effects of abuse are devastating and far reaching. He called 911 as he realized there must be a fire. And in Fort Worth, career-driven Carter Carol Cervantez begins to rethink her priorities when she finds love at the workplace. 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. Ashlea's ankles were also bound with duct tape. 27-year-old old Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial for capital murder in the. This key was not in the trash during the first search. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. The Prosecutor,Kevin Rousseau,told the Jury: "There are no good murders. Harris apartment showed no signs of forced entry and none of her valuables were missing. s asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. 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. Carter and David were convicted of beating, strangling, and bounding Ashlea and setting fire to her4701 King Ranch Road apartment onNovember 28, 2014, morning. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. Another apartment in the complex was on fire. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. He requested that they stop the black Infinity if they witnessed any type of traffic violation. Malloy is being held in a Potter County Jail and will be. When he went to see why the smoke detector had not gone off he noticed it had been removed and placed under the mattress. Clarence David Mallory took the 5th when he was brought in to testify. Video surveillance of the mall showed that at 2 am on Saturday morning someone tried to open the security gate at American Eagle. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. In August 2016, Clarence David Mallory was found guilty of murder one after one hour of jury deliberation. Ashlea Harris arrived home to her apartment around 3:25 am. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. At 6:56 am Alexis noticed a missed call from Ashlea. 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. He heard the door of Ashlea's apartment close and when he looked out his window, he saw ablack Infiniti G35 driving away. Assuming that there may be a fire in Ashleas apartment he dialed 911. Cravey indicated that he did. Detective Cedillo spoke to Chris Cravey, who was Ashleas boss at American Eagle, and asked if he knew anyone who drove a black Infinity. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. The Jury heard that Clarence was arrested in the car park at the mall . Protect yourself and those you love. They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the, 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, Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. The State waived their right to seekthe death penalty and instead looked forlife in prison without parole. 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. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. She told the Court that she left Ashlea's apartment after 4am the morning of the 28th of November and that when she left, Ashlea locked the door. ", 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 . Harris and other workers helped identify them as suspects, KHOU reports. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. A few minutes later, Patrick's. She claimed she spent Thanksgiving cooking dinner for her and Mallory and they watched movies afterward. Im so sorry I forgot. Today, Ft. Worth is a thriving city of approximately 800,000 residents. Carter Carol Cervantez faces capital murder charges in connection with the death of Ashlea Harris. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? Cervantez also testified that Mallory raped her when she didn't do what he wanted. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. He told the Court that he lived in an apartment justbelow Ashleas apartment. The following correctional supervision record (the "Record") was collected from the official state department of corrections website (see below for source link). But at least there are some you can understand. Via the Star-Telegram: Cervantez testified that she and Mallory went to Cleburne and rented a motel room on Nov. 28, but later that day Mallory had her drive to Hulen Mall while he toyed with a 9 mm Glock handgun he held in his lap. Detective Cedillo decided to stake out Cervantez and Mallorys apartment arriving around 3:45 am on Saturday, November 29, 2014. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. It looked new as there was notany noticeable wear and the plastic price tag fastener was still attached. Cervantez is arrested in Lubbock and Mallory is taken into custody in Amarillo. The Court also heardpolicefoundlatitude and longitude coordinates on the cell phones. Ashleas friend Alexis, who was the last to see her at close to 5 am, told police that Ashlea usually left her keys and wallet on her kitchen counter. They were not able to open the gate and promptly left. Video from American Eagle picks her up approaching the gate. Who Killed Her? He forced her to enter and rob American Eagle at gunpoint and threatened to kill her family if she didnt do what he asked. He testified that when he entered the apartment, it, was full of smoke and water was spraying from the sprinkler system. She told the Court she did not kill Ashlea and played no part in her death. Helived downstairs and diagonally across from Ashlea. In her testimony, Cervantez describes abusive behavior from Mallory, who she says threatened to kill her family if she didnt comply with his orders. Mallory threatened to hurt her parents and relatives if she did not do what she was told, Cervantez said. that the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. I said, Thats Ashleas tattoo,' said Naylor. Please enter valid email address to continue. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. This Record may not reflect actual, complete, or up-to-date data. It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. The trial for the horrific murder of an American Eagle employee on Black Friday began this week in Fort Worth, TX. While Cervantes moved six hours away to Fort Worth, Mallory stayed in Amarillo. 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. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. He told the Court that he lived in an apartment just, below Ashleas apartment. Cervantes helped Mallory falsify documents so she could hire him at the Hulen Mall location where she worked with Harris. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes
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