Ultimately, David Malcolm Strickland was arrested and later found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. A vigil will also be held in San Fransisco, a city well known for its support of gay rights. [10], Laura Strickland was charged with tampering with evidence. This is still an active investigation. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. 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. I stared at him, right, whenever I was testifying, and not one look. Cops found three people dead inside the childs bedroom: Jennifer Phillips, Eli Garza and the perpetrator Roel Garza. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. 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. Sister Peggy Ritual and Jason Haas share a moment of silence at a vigil. Committed the July 24, 1979, murder of Anna Marie Hlavka in. The suspected shooter allegedly forced the girls down a steep incline in the quiet bayside park, bound them and shot them in the head. One girl is dead and another in serious condition after a mysterious shooting in a normally peaceful town. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora). However, at that point, the authorities had another suspect, Dylan Spellman, who was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence. Paroled in December 1978. A crime scene investigator photographs evidence at the end of a sidewalk, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, where Mollie Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, were killed. In the days after the attack, police said the women were known to be in a dating relationship but there was no evidence that the attack was motivated by their sexual orientation. Sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1973 for two counts of rape. He then sexually assaulted and shot them. 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. 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen next week, Bun B on bringing Southern rap stars to Houston's Rodeo, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, Astros show struggles with new MLB pitch clock rules, How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, This is what Houston looks like from space, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, Watch: Houston Astros' Luis Garcia debuts new windup, Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious on-air interview with reporter. 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. "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. 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. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. His attorney, Cynthia Orr, told the Caller-Times that the type of DNA testing technology that would be conducted on a piece of pubic hair found on Chapa was not available during the time of Strickland's trial. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. Please keep us in your prayers.. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. There is still a lot to do in order to prepare the case for prosectuion". 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. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. 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. This evidence included .45-caliber firearms, handcuffs, ammunition, a lock pick kit, bolt cutters, and other suspicious items. At the time, David was accused of burglarizing his home, and the evidence collected was turned over to the Portland police. The Portland Police Department released this sketch July 13, 2012, in the attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. NBCs Dateline: The Overlook chronicles how the police zeroed in on David using a letter sent to Kristenes father. U.S. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparently shot by a mysterious assailant in Portland, Texas Friday night. An expert witness for the defense testified that the confession was false because David was repeatedly told his wife would be charged if he didnt confess. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. All rights reserved. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparently shot by a mysterious assailant in Portland, Texas Friday night. Garza shot both Phillips and Eli twice, Cory said. A birdwatching couple at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, came across Mollie and Kristenes bodies on the morning of June 23, 2012. Carol got started in journalism while teaching English in Poland during martial law. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. [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. Police were led to David Strickland in 2014 after Chapa's father received an anonymous letter containing information about the crime not released to the public. His wife is charged with tampering with evidence. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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. 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. The crime went unsolved for about two years before police shifted their focus to Stickland in 2014 after learning about a letter addressed to Chapa's father written from the perspective of a hitman. The incident was premeditated. "Not only was his DNA found on objects left at the crime scene, but a lab report now undeniably shows that the hair pulled from Kristine Chapas body is in fact (the man's) hair," the November motion states. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Man and wife jailed in 2-year-old attack on female couple near Corpus Christi, Portland police still seek leads in teen couple shooting. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. A vigil was held for the girls at a local high school Sunday and a candle-lit walk is scheduled to take place in the park on Friday. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. [3] There were several witnesses who had seen McFadden close to the scene of the crime on the day of the killings. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher or the ABC News app. [emailprotected]. [6], In 2018, advances in testing technology allowed for DNA identification of a hair found on Chapa's body. 5-year-old dead after double homicide-suicide in Portland. 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. Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? Nevertheless, the jury found David, then 30, guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. Gerald "Jerry" Walter McFadden (March 21, 1948 October 14, 1999), known as The Animal, was an American serial killer and sex offender who was executed in 1999.[6]. She believed the testing could help exonerate Strickland. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Its apparent in the investigation that once the suspect Mr. Garza made the call to the police department, he committed suicide in the bedroom where the wife and child had already been killed, Cory said. U.S. [9], Strickland was not charged with a hate crime because authorities found no evidence to indicate the women were targeted due to their sexuality but were likely random targets. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. The Caller-Times is withholding the man's name as it's unclear if he's been arrested and charged with a crime. 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. 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. These items were turned over to investigators in the Olgin case. Portland, a small town of 16,000 just north of Corpus Christi, is not known for crime and has not seen a homicide in two years. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. Chapa was 18 years old in June 2012 when she and her girlfriend Mollie Olgin were shot in the head execution-style at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. I hope that it gives them some closure knowing that this person is taken off the street, Portland Police Chief Gary Giles said of the victims families and the community. "He couldn't even look at me, which was disappointing, because I wanted him to see what he had done.". 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. 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. Once investigators issued arrest warrants for the Stricklands, they asked the U.S. Portland Police Chief Randy Wright confirmed the identities of the two girls to local NBC affiliates and to MSNBC. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. WebCrime rate in Portland, TX The 2019 crime rate in Portland, TX is 110 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 2.4 times lower than the U.S. average. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. 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. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. Vigils were held across the county by the LGBT community, and some suspected the case could be a hate crime. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. This is a carousel. Jason Haas and Veronika Fimbres embrace during a vigil. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. His sentence will automatically be appealed. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. 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. 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. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. During her recovery, Chapa worked with police to help identify her shooter. Strickland told investigators that Olgin and Chapa were rude to his wife, who was a server at Chili's, and he followed them back to the park where he shot them, but prosecutors believed Olgin and Chapa did not visit Chili's the night of the shooting. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. Marshal Christopher Bozeman, a spokesman for the Marshals Service in San Antonio, said it took the team a little over two hours to find the Stricklands in an apartment in the 12000 block of Bandera Road in Helotes, about 25 miles northwest of San Antonio. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. Jess and Jules Diliberto embrace during a vigil. Police Chief Randy Wright says there's no evidence that the attack was motivated by their relationship. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. 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. Police Chief Randy Wright says there's no evidence that the attack was motivated by their relationship. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; 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. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban, Kevin Porter Jr. return can't end Rockets' growing losing streak, W&P Porter bowl review: A container that makes office lunch easy, A new musical spotlights a Texas bank-robbing legend. People write messages of support on a banner during a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. 47 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. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their sonEli Garza, 5. "My body will never be 100% again. 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. 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. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe. More:Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, More:Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, More:'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Roel Garza did not have a history of violence before the murder-suicide, cops said. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe, After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers. [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. 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. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. [11] The charge was dismissed. We know fromMollies parents that they were close, he said. U.S. Officers described finding a tragic, horrifying murder scene at the home in northeast Portland. The motion states while prosecutors agreed to have the DNA testing done, they didn't agree that Strickland would be exonerated. [9] A draft of the letter to the Chapa family was found on Strickland's computer. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Theresa Garnero and Rosie Castillo embrace during a vigil. Authorities didn't investigate the fatal attack as a hate crime even though the incident happened during Pride weekend. "Once we have a warrant, we start doing everything on our end to find the person as quickly as possible," Bozeman said. Additionally, a firearms expert at the Texas Department of Public Safety testified that the bullet casing at the scene likely matched Strickland's handgun. 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