Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. She denied being at the Hulen Mall that morning. Documents say the only thing missing from Harris' apartment were her keys, which contained the keys to the American Eagle store as well as the safe. Assuming that there may be a fire in Ashleas apartment he dialed 911. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. Cervantez claims that Mallory dug the grave for her. Get Driving Directions to Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas. 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. Fired One week later Cravey called Cervantez. FORT WORTH, Texas -- A woman whose burned body was found in her Fort Worth apartment Thanksgiving weekend had been strangled and beaten, allegedly by former co-workers, according to court documents. One neighbor, Steven Lee, told police that he had a cigarette on his balcony at around 6.30am that morning and saw a car parked outside. He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. Clarence and Carter wereboth charged with capital murder. Authorities discovered Harris' body face down on her scorched bed with her ankles and wrists bound on Nov. 28, 2014, 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. 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. Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. Patrick Sweet lived in the apartmentbelow Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Water was spraying from the overhead sprinkling system, but Ashlea did not answer when he called out to her. Somehow they avoided looking up at the camera. He told the Court thathe sawa black Infiniti G35 with a faded Toll tag sticker on its roof parked outside. Ashlea has suffered numerous injuries to her face and head indicating that there were multiple blows. Prosecutors also showed evidence that Cervantez and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle in Abilene (where they had previously worked). Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. Joyce Marshall jlmarshall@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities. Upon searching Mallorys cell phone there were text messages that contained latitude and longitude coordinates. And when she did not do what she was told, they returned to their apartment, where Mallorys friends raped her repeatedly, Cervantez testified. He requested that they stop the black Infinity if they witnessed any type of traffic violation. Police "developed probable cause" to make the arrests, according to a release. Messages indicate they planned on burying the corpse in an unmarked grace north of Abilene, Texas. Clarence David Mallory (age 19) had previously worked for American Eagle at their Amarillo location. Fort Worth is located in north-central Texas. Incriminating texts shown to jury in Black Friday murder trial The day after Thanksgiving Day. In addition, we got Ashleas DNA on this gun that was in Carter Cervantes car, said Kevin Rousseau. The apartment was filled with smoke. Clarence David Mallory, 22, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars in the death of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, in a Fort Worth, Texas, courtroom on Thursday. Cravey indicated that he did. She was later found in her apartment complex. The apartment belonged to 31-year-old Ashlea Harris who resided there with her dog, Nala. 2023 Chilling Crimes. While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. Suspects in capital murder of Fort Worth mall worker schemed their way Blood was found on the floor mats of Cervantes car. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. | Link Errors Cervantes was allowed to go home. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. 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. It was the 28th of November 2014. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. All were missing. In August 2014, a hooded burglar had stolen $18,000 from the American Eagle Hulen Mall store following Texas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. 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. Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape and she was covered in blood, according to Texas. A bottle of it found near the body. | Advertising David, 27, is incarcerated at the Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. After more evidence is gathered they are arrested on December 4, 2014. Who Killed Her. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. 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 . Harris friends told investigators that she had been working around the clock in anticipation of the Black Friday sales event which started that morning. At 6:56 am Alexis noticed a missed call from Ashlea. Cervantes had hired 19-year-old David Mallory and soon began dating him, in violation of company policy. By 2011, she was an assistant manager at an American Eagle Outfitters store at Fort Worths Hulen Mall. He continued to lie in bed wondering what was going on in his upstairs neighbors apartment (Ashleas apartment). Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Carter Cervantez, 27, who was an assistant manager at the Hulen Mall store, is on trial this week, accused of killing Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on the day after Thanksgiving 2014. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. The scream was followed by a loud thud and he, could hear labored breathing. Prosecutors charged Cervantez with murder one and did not seek the death penalty. Ashlea Ann Harris loved working in retail where she could meet new people every day. / CBS News/AP. 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. He noticed it because he never saw it parked there before. His name was Clarence David Mallory. On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. Her lover, David, continued working at the Amarillo store but began to miss shifts regularly. Detective Cedillo wanted to search Ashleas pick-up truck. He met his girlfriend Carter Cervantez there. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. I mean, my knees gave out. At that point, the firefighters had arrived. Examiners Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. 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. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. 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. Alexis Torres Bunch. It is the13th largest city in the US. 02-16-00224-CR. Cravey fired Cervantez because she had left the store unsecured. 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. Her throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. Many retailers have special markdowns and people lose their minds trying to snatch up the bargains. Benbrook man gets life for killing Hulen Mall manager | Fort Worth Star The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. They were not able to open the gate and promptly left. reunited in Fort Worth and moved in together. She was savagely beaten. At 7:45 am he witnessed Cervantez and Mallory exit their apartment and get into the black Infinity. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. Dr Friesexplained that cricoid fractures are seen mostly in motor vehicle accidents or something involving a significant amount of force. He determined that Ashlea'scause of death was asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Mallory drove her back to their apartment and friends of Mallory were waiting inside. The most likely thing that caused that was being pistol whipped.. Jeffcrawled midway to the kitchen before he was forced to get out for some air. She purchased what Im going to describe as a murder kit, said Rousseau. Protect yourself and those you love. Harris boss told investigators the car was similar to a vehicle owned by former American Eagle Outfitters employee Carter Cervantes. 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. She came from a blended family. 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. Lets find out. 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. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. 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. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was. CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. 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. Nobody knew for certain whether Ashlea was inside or not. The term Black Friday originated in Philadelphia to describe heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. Defendant in American Eagle Murder Says She Was Coerced By - Jezebel He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. There are predators everywhere. 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. Defendant in American Eagle murder trial testifies | Fort Worth Star Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. Investigators believed Cervantes and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle store. 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. Woman gets life for beating, binding, burning co-worker at Fort Worth Fort Worth Police arrested two suspects in the November 28 murder of Ashlea Harris. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. This was somebody who killed her out of anger. A few minutes later, Patrick'scarbon monoxide detector went offand he sawwater dripping from the ceiling in his bathroom. Cervantes was later located at her apartment and agreed to meet with detectives. Knives and a loaded gun were found inside Cervantes Infiniti while the shovels and other items were in the trunk of Mallorys vehicle. The Court heard that when police searched Clarence's car, which was a Cadillac, they found two shovels, a box of plastic sheeting, and a box of Craftsman sockets. 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 and David were convicted of beating, strangling, and bounding Ashlea and setting fire to her4701 King Ranch Road apartment onNovember 28, 2014, morning. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! But Tarrant County prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told the jury that Cervantez was the one who tried to control Mallory, whose trial is pending. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. He then radioed for police and a crime scene unit to come to the scene. 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. On their cell phones, they had images of Ashlea's apartment, her apartment door and her vehicle. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. They found a lock in a kitchen drawer and a TASER box and some strands of duct tape in the trash. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape,. And Ashlea discovered that Carter was the person due to lock up the night it was stolen and had left the back door open. Dateline: Ashlea Harris' Parents Wanted Mallory, Cervantez Executed