"Hopefully they'll find some peace. Ertman will stand a few feet away, watching again through the window. June 25, 1994: Family and friends of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena gather at T.C. Jennifer Ertman, left, and Elizabeth Pea both attended Waltrip High School. The Murder of Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman (Houston, TX 1993) Elizabeth Pena (16) and Jennifer Ertman (14) were out on the humid Houston evening of June 24th, 1993 enjoying a pool party at the apartment complex of another friend. This location was approximately one mile from Pea's home. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Ertman could have easily run to escape at this point, but ran to help her friend. The prosecutors said that Medelln never told authorities that he was a Mexican citizen. Eventually, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice voted to change the policy. Oops, something didn't work. A major precedent was set at the end of Cantu's trial when Harmon allowed Ertman's father to address the convicted murderer. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. Failed to delete memorial. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Drag images here or select from your computer for Jennifer Lee Ertman memorial. On that night they were at a pool party of a friend. One of the gang members later said during the brag session that by the time he got to one of the girls, "she was loose and sloppy." posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its Pea brushed aside Medelln's hand and continued walking. The gang members took Jenny and Elizabeth from the clearing into a wooded area, leaving the juvenile behind, saying he was "too little to watch". According to later testimony, on one occasion, Pea glanced in the direction of her younger friend as she was raped by Efrain Prez and began weeping as she observed Ertman. January 24, 2023. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 72 17 stream The girls were Waltrip High School students. 0000005484 00000 n [6], The girls were walking along the White Oak Bayou when they encountered six "Black and White" gang members drinking beer shortly after holding the gang initiation ceremony of 17-year-old Raul Omar Villarreal. It's a saying you hear time and time again yet, time and time again, parents are made to bury their young children. Cantu was the ringleader of five gang members who raped and killed the girls at a Houston park - a crime that horrified the city in 1993. >> The case was also notable in that the state of Texas rejected attempts by the International Court of Justice to halt several perpetrators' executions. April 5, 1994. Governor Rick Perry argued that Texas is not bound to World Court rulings. Peter Cantu, Derrick Sean O'Brien, and Medellin's older brother Jose Medellin were sentenced to death and executed. In response to accusations from anti-death penalty advocates that the death penalty is a cruel and unusual form of punishment, Pea's father later remarked O'Brien's death had occurred peacefully, "in twenty seconds", adding: "I wish to God that my daughter could have died that easily. I want them to suffer without stop until the end of time, until their very souls explode from sheer agony and pain. The medical examiner testified that Elizabeth's two front teeth were knocked out of her brutalized mouth before she died and that two of Jennifer's ribs were broken after she had died. Randy Ertman, father of Jennifer Ertman, confronts an anti-death penalty activist, David Adwood outside the 262nd Criminal District Court in 2003, where Judge Mike Anderson the execution date for Raul Villarreal. Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. Jennifer Ertman's dad, Randy Ertman, was about to give an interview regarding the missing girls to a local television reporter when the call came over a cameraman's police scanner that two bodies had been found. All those believed responsible were ultimately arrested. 1 second ago. Adolph Pena, embraced by his wife, Melissa, wears a shirt showing the pictures of his slain daughter, Elizabeth, left, and her friend, Jennifer Ertman, who were killed by killed by gang members five years ago. HOUCHRON CAPTION (06/28/1998): Randy and Sandy Ertman have found a certain measure of peace since moving to their country home in Lyons. Sandra Babcock, attorney for Mexican-born death row inmate Jose Medellin, speaks to the media after his execution Tuesday. Of the six people convicted for the heinous crimes, five were sentenced to death. Outside the girls' school, Waltrip High, death penalty opponents were calling for a halt to all executions in Texas. 0000000931 00000 n A red nylon belt, with an attacker tugging at each end, was pulled so tightly around Ertman's neck the belt snapped. [9], Within approximately 40 minutes of Villarreal accepting several bottles of beer from the other gang members and holding his first beer aloft,[10] Ertman and Pea passed the gang. 70K views 1 month ago Hey Guys! Police said the Waltrip High School students were. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1908103/posts, Bush, Texas at Odds Over Death Case In July, the World Court ordered a stay of Medelln's execution. The Ertmans were ecstatic at the birth of their child because they were not sure if they would ever be able to conceive, since Sandra was on the wrong side of thirty-five. Our leaders keep telling us to go back to sleep, its an isolated incident, we get more in benefits than they could ever take from us. At first, Pea desperately attempted to appease her abusers as she wept, offering her phone number so they could "get together". For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. The 61-year-old died Monday, said Andy Kahan, a Houston crime victims advocate. That guy was a fucking monster. No death, but it was a year before columbine. He didn't fuck with me because his cousin was my good friend. Harmon was criticized by fellow judges and newspaper editorials for allowing the display. Minutes before Pea and Ertman encountered these gang members, two other gang members, twins Frank and Ramon Sandoval had participated in Villarreal's initiation ceremony. 0000000017 00000 n Cantu is the last of three men scheduled to die by lethal injection for the June 1993 murders of 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman and 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena. >> 75 0 obj Meet the Astros prospect tearing up Spring Training, Texas tornados destroy homes, leave 300,000 without power, Proposed Texas bill would offer 12 weeks of paid family leave, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Texas Republican wants to ban access to abortion websites, Dallas Morning News reporter calls mayor 'bruh,' gets fired. Im listening to her (Laura Ingraham) right now. [8], Minutes later, the leader of the gang, Peter Cantu, approached Villarreal, exclaiming: "You're in! In this week's episode Beth and Wendy discuss Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, two young teenage girls who were murdered in Houston by three teenage serial killers, and some other teenage boys in 1993. Medellin was 14 at the time of the killings and has served 27 years of his 40-year sentence, the maximum punishment allowed for a juvenile. Both girls were strangled to death. These scum deserve to be treated as they treated those young girls. Cantu was the ringleader of five gang members who raped and killed the girls at a Houston park - a crime that horrified the city in 1993. Jester Park.[43]. /PageLayout /SinglePage Resend Activation Email. when they committed their crimes. There was an error deleting this problem. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 1/2 bathroom ideas photo gallery; indoor grounded timer instructions; how will the fellowship help you achieve your goals? [n 2] According to trial testimony, both Pea and Ertman repeatedly glanced in the direction of one another several times throughout their ordeal in likely gestures of concern and despair. [5][30], Before his execution, O'Brien expressed his regrets for his actions to the families of Pea and Ertman. Six gang members were charged in their deaths, which shocked the city. Ertman's daughter Jennifer, 14, and her friend, 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena, were attacked June 24, 1993, by gang members as they walked home along White Oak Bayou. Elizabeth's father said he was not surprised. xref window at Ertman and other relatives of the girls and called his Like 4 of us climbed a tree. %PDF-1.3 Ertman and Pea passed the gang and one member, Jos Medelln, attempted to grope and pinch one of Pea's breasts. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The two Houston girls, returning from a friend's house, took a shortcut home along some railroad tracks and stumbled on a group of teenagers drinking beer after initiating a new gang member. As Ertman was murdered, Pea was forced to watch her friend's death as other gang members held a ligature around her own neck. He then apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection. HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBS/KHOU) Murderer Peter Anthony Cantu was executed by the state of Texas Tuesday evening. Christina Almaraz was a childhood friend of both Ertman and Pena. Villarreal was convicted of murder in 1994 for his involvement in the rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in 1993 during a gang initiation. Cantu has been on death row longer than his victims were alive. One of the gang members grabbed Pena. Four days after the girls disappeared, a person identifying himself as 'Gonzalez' called the Crimestoppers Tips number. I wish to hell he could have died the way she died.". I cant even imagine those poor girls. I ain't ever gonna hear that again, that hurts," said Randy Ertman, the victim's father. Hiding. "I told him to stick it. /Filter /FlateDecode The graves of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena are about 200 yards apart in Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Put a needle in her arm and just go to sleep. One of the boys boasted of having 'virgin blood' on him. 'You're not even an animal,' in the courtroom of Judge Bill Harmon, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 1994, When the Supreme Court of the United States banned the executions of people who committed crimes while they were below 18 years of age, the sentences of Prez and Villarreal were automatically commuted to life in prison. [5], Leaving the crime scene, Cantu handed Venancio Medelln a Goofy wristwatch taken from Ertman's body, saying, "Take this, I don't want it. [30][41][42], The parents of the murder victims successfully advocated for the State of Texas to allow victims' relatives to have permission to witness executions. /Contents [ 75 0 R ] /ID [] Well I better stay speechless because whats going through my head would get me banned. to Ertman. The medical examiner corroborated that the cause of death was strangulation. Randy commandeered the news van and went to the scene that was now bustling with police activity. 0000006863 00000 n %%EOF Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Try again later. /Rotate 0 Villarreal then sat alongside the other gang members, relaxing, talking, trading insults and compliments, and drinking beer. Where [are] you going?" You can always change this later in your Account settings. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Bush is getting really BAD advice from an staffer and will come to his senses soon. I believe only non violent offenders are capable of and deserving of rehabilitation. [7] I attended all five trials with the Ertmans and know too well the awful things that they and the Penas had to hear and see in the course of seeing Justice served for their girls. visiting the murder location of Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman two houston teenager who were brutally taped and murdered by gang memebers in a jouston ar. Whenever I see a post about it online, I always get this wave of negative emotions dumped over me. Those poor poor girls. Medelln said in a sworn statement that he learned that the Mexican consulate could assist him in 1997. >> O'Brien was sentenced to die for murder of Randy adn Sandra's daughter Jennifer Ertman, 15, and Elizabeth Pea, 16, in 1993. "It's just a last-ditch effort to keep the scumbag breathing," Ertman said. FED. Both girls where beautiful high school students at Waltrip High. Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. Peter Anthony Cantu is shown in this undated Texas Department of Criminal Justice handout photo. Jester, both busy streets. Cantu, then 18, orchestrated the attacks and slaying. Having a teenage daughter myself reading this was so painful. Shoelaces were used to strangle Pena. I might try to email it to Dennis Prager. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? /Type /Page In response to accusations from anti-death penalty advocates that capital punishment is a cruel and unusual form of punishment, Pea's father later remarked O'Brien's death had occurred peacefully, "in twenty seconds", adding: "I wish to God that my daughter could have died that easily. /N 31 When the rapes finally ended, the horror was not over. /T 62444 Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. trailer Jennifer's father made the drive here four years ago for the first execution. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Because of efforts by Ertman's father along with victims advocate Andy Kahan and others, victim's . Two of Cantu's companions in the gang they dubbed the Black and White preceded him to the death chamber. Try again later. But he has sowered. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. In July, the World Court ordered a stay of Medelln's execution. DOES SHE HAVE BLOND HAIR?!!?". This account has been disabled. On June 24, 1993, the girls spent the day together.and then died together. Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. For justice for my little girl," Elizabeth's father, Adolph Pena, said. The gang problem was bad enough that my middle school wouldn't allow us to wear clothing that was mostly white, mostly black, most red, mostly green, etc because of possible gang affiliation. At his sentencing for the Ertman-Pena case, the judge asked Cantu if there was any reason the sentence shouldn't be imposed. While Jenny and Elizabeth were living the last few hours of their lives, Peter Cantu, Efrain Perez, Derrick Sean O'Brien, Joe Medellin and Joe's 14 year old brother were initiating a new member, Raul Villareal, into their gang, known as the Black and Whites. Jennifer Ertman was born on August 15, 1978, to Sandra and Randy Ertman. The gang continued drinking and 'shooting the breeze' for some time and then decided to leave. Randy Ertman, father of slain teen, has died, Ex-gang leader executed for '93 deaths of 2 Houston girls, Supreme Court to hear Houston death row case. It shocked many onlookers and outraged a few. Instead of remorse there was violence from Cantu. I think about this case a lot, usually at random times it'll pop back into my head without warning. For justice. "I'd like to have heard, the last 17 years, someone say 'I love you, dad.' Elizabeth was also strangled with her shoelaces, after crying and begging the gang members not to kill them; bargaining, offering to give them her phone number so they could get together again. He was the ringleader in a crime that struck a raw nerve for its sheer brutality: the repeated gang rape, torture and murder of 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman and 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena in. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. After Cantu's trial, Ertman asked to witness his execution but was told it was not allowed. He then apologized to his own family before he was executed by lethal injection. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Donald R. Davis and Robert Morrow represented Cantu at trial. [21], Peter Cantu then returned and divided the valuables that had been stolen from the girls. Fortunately, they did manage to keep Randy from entering the woods and seeing his daughter's brutalized body and that of her friend Elizabeth, but they were unable to escape that fate themselves. On death row, Cantu, now 35, was classified among the best-behaving inmates. management. She'd been raped and eviscerated. [5] This location was approximately one mile from Pea's home. Following Cantu's initial instruction, Villarreal first shouted "Get on your knees, bitch!" /Resources << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. O'Brien (the only non-Hispanic in the gang) and Villarreal then proceeded to strangle Ertman with a red nylon belt before the belt broke. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7051821/jennifer-lee-ertman. curfew. [34] In 2004, the International Court of Justice responded to a lawsuit filed by Mexico against the United States; the court ordered hearings to be held for inmates, including Medelln, who were denied consular rights. Leaving the crime scene, Peter Cantu handed Venancio Medelln a Goofy wristwatch taken from Ertman's body, saying, "Take this, I don't want it.". Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. It worked. Pure Murder Chapter 10: JENNIFER ERTMAN - Chapter 1 < Prev Chapter. Carol got started in journalism while teaching English in Poland during martial law. Anti-death penalty supporters gather outside the barricade during the execution of Peter Anthony Cantu at the Walls Unit in Huntsville, Texas. On June 24th 1993, a gang of men took the lives of 2 young girls. Jester Park at White Oak bayou. They were kicked, teeth knocked out and hair pulled out and ribs broken. The murder of the two girls made headlines in Texas newspapers due to the nature of the crime and the new law resulting from the murder that allows families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. Villarreal was convicted of murder in 1994 for his involvement in the rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in 1993 during a gang initiation. [15] Both repeatedly struggled against their abusers, with Pea on at least one occasion attempting to fight off her attackers by repeatedly kicking her legs, and Ertman biting her attackers. As both girls exited the car, Pea assured her mother she and her friend would be home by their agreed 11:30 p.m. Testimony showed that Jenny had gotten free and could have run away but returned to Elizabeth when she cried out for Jenny to help her. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. /Prev 62433 Both girls were sexually assaulted by all but one of the gang members, 14-year-old Venancio "Yuni" Medelln, on a minimum of four occasions. cemeteries found in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Ok, thanks. What a horrible crime. Asked what memories she had of Ertman, Perez said, "She had a beautiful smile.". Two VERY important things in the criminal justice system have changed as a result of these murders. Morning Cup of Murder - Year Two. Willie Nelson pays lovely tribute to another country legend, Rare photos show 2 ocelots crossing South Texas road, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, This is what Houston looks like from space. Christina Cantu questioned why Villarreal was bleeding, and Prez had a bloody shirt. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. "We're looking forward to Peter Cantu being executed so he can never murder or hurt anybody again," he said. The break in solving the case came from, of course, the 911 call. startxref 0000005760 00000 n This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. This photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows death row inmate Derrick O'Brien who is scheduled for execution at the Texas prison in Huntsville, Tuesday, May 16, 2006. [37] During his lifetime, Randy Ertman advocated strongly against granting parole to Venancio Medelln. No mercy for the bastard. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Both girls were sexually assaulted by all but one of the gang members, 14-year-old Venancio "Yuni" Medelln, on a minimum of four occasions. Medelln gave both written and taped confessions. Randy Ertman, whose daughter and a friend were raped and killed by gang members, has died of lung cancer. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. ). Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, Meet the Astros prospect tearing up Spring Training, Report: Houston ranked No. Try again later. The State of Texas, represented by Solicitor General Ted Cruz, challenged Bush's order, and the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that only the Congress of the United States has the right to order hearings to be held. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. But if something like this cant spark it, what can? They were last seen by friends about 11:15 at night, when they left a friend's apartment to head home, to beat summer curfew at 11:30. Randy Ertman, father of Jennifer Ertman, speaks with Adolph Pena, father of Elizabeth Pena outside the 262nd Criminal District Court in 2003 after Judge Mike Anderson set the execution date for Raul Villarreal. to Ertman. And Cantu's brother, upset at the gang's gloating about having fun with the girls, called police. Mexican-born Jose Medellin, 33, with needles in I dont knowLaura Ingraham is talking aboutI think I first heard about it the other day from her. Houston was stunned when Cantu and his gang were arrested. [48] Another memorial exists at T.C. Dad is very angry because when President Bush was Governor he shook this mans hand and said these whatever in the hell these creatures are would be executed. Venancio Medelln did rape Ertman on one occasion. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Waltrip High School has a memorial to the girls. The medical examiner testified that Elizabeth's two front teeth were knocked out of her brutalized mouth before she died and that two of Jennifer's ribs were broken after she had died. The lethal injection was performed at 6:09 pm, and at 6:17 pm, Cantu was officially pronounced dead. He then clasped his arm around Pea's neck, threw her to the ground, and dragged her down a gravel decline in the direction of the other gang members as Pea screamed and pleaded for help. at the time, got a 40-year sentence. Venancio Medellin has been denied parole five times, most recently in November 2020.