/Type /Page Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Peter Anthony Cantu (AP Photo/Texas Dept. /ID [] Derrick O'Brien was the first to be executed, on July 11, 2006. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Jennifer Latson of the Houston Chronicle said that the deaths of the girls "shook" the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston "to its foundation. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. [38], Seventeen years after the crimes, Peter Anthony Cantu was executed on August 17, 2010. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Try again later. The Ertmans and Penas also witnessed the executions of three of their daughters' killers. Their bodies were found four days later. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. This is a carousel. There is a problem with your email/password. Jester Park in northwest Houston. If they hung all five of them, that would Then, on the morning of June 30, the city awoke to learn of events of a few days earlier that defied belief. The case spurred legislative reform in Texas' criminal justice system. She'd been raped and eviscerated. Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena were 14 and 16 years old, respectively. Serious crime was still a problem, but the overall trends looked good. 3 of the main members who were 18 or over were sentenced to death and it was carried out 2006,2008,2010 respectively. Venancio Medelln, the brother of Jos Medelln, was 14 at the time of the murder, the same age as Jennifer Ertman. Wage growth is slowing. Weve updated the security on the site. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The case was also notable in that the state of Texas rejected attempts by the International Court of Justice to halt several perpetrators' executions. %%EOF Ogg personally signed a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole protesting any possible release earlier this year. 73 0 obj "Anytime girls came down the street, they'd come out and hoot and holler at them and make vulgar remarks to them," a former neighbor said the day after his arrest. I|L~D*Vh.il)5]m:rm1Jm$E*jEj60 [TK+->Wri]F4>)MB8322T" t@w*V$ VSv+v"3pcj$[c=Ys]$fpAyTFpX]6uCtb`hQ3+1:Dk4J6E.LBqLu9oT9Jj? Death penalty opponents protested the impending execution. Because of their deaths, the state allows victim impact. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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.". By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Both then completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Pea's presence. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. English The prosecutors said that Medelln never told authorities he was a Mexican citizen. Kahan assisted the girl's parents in changing state policy to allow relatives of victims to witness executions. 0000000017 00000 n New development was everywhere, spurred by a mayor and city council devoted to the cause of building. [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. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He apparently did as he pleased. Cantu, Medelln, Prez, and Villarreal then met at Cantu's residence, where he lived with his brother, Joe Cantu, and sister-in-law, Christina Cantu. Both girls were strangled to death. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. [2], At 4:15 p.m. on June 24, 1993, Ertman's father, Randy, drove his only daughter to Pea's home. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Medelln said in a sworn statement that he learned that the Mexican consulate could assist him in 1997. /Rotate 0 One of the gang members grabbed Pena. 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. 74 0 obj Cantu, O'Brien, and Jos Medelln were later implicated in the January 4, 1993, murder of 27-year-old Patricia Lopez. This prompted Medelln to say the gang "had fun" and that details would appear on the news. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. "Hopefully they'll find some peace. . I wish to hell he could have died the way she died. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. [47] Medellin is scheduled to be released in 2034. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? His stinging denunciation of Cantu, pain evident in each word, reached a climax when Cantu turned away from the grieving father and Ertman yelled, "You look at me! Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Please try again later. 76 0 R /F10 78 0 R /F11 80 0 R /F12 82 0 R /F13 84 0 R /F14 86 0 R >> >> [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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. [32] He petitioned the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue; the appeal failed. Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena were raped, tortured and murdered by gang members while walking near TC Jester on June 24, 1993. based on information from your browser. Seven minutes later, O'Brien was dead. The prosecutors said that Medelln never told authorities that he was a Mexican citizen. We love them and miss them," Adolph Pena said. Their bodies were found four days after they were murdered. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman were friends who went to Waltrip High School in Houston. a. Oops, we were unable to send the email. She was then forced to remove her underwear. He threatened to kill security guards at the alternative school he periodically attended. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murder. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. After the gang left, Christina Cantu convinced Joe Cantu to report the crime to police. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Cantu had been troubled and violent since his early youth. [33], Medelln's impending execution became an international controversy since the state did not hold a hearing about whether the inability of Medelln to meet with Mexican consular officials harmed his defense. 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. An angry Randy Ertman stood at the trial and told the killers: "We live for the day you die. This location was approximately one mile from Pea's home. [40], Cantu, Medelln, and O'Brien are buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery. Houston was stunned when Cantu and his gang were arrested. 0000008539 00000 n Two Innocent Teens The crime was unspeakable. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. But Elizabeth's desperate cries brought Jennifer back to help her best friend. Realizing that the girls would be capable of identifying them, Peter Cantu, the leader of the gang, ordered the members to kill the girls. /OutputBin 7 HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Randy Ertman . /Filter /FlateDecode On the evening of June 24, 1993, they left a friend's apartment at 11:15 to head home and took a shortcut through T.C. Somehow the story became worse at trial. Three were executed, and the rest are still in prison. He is now 41 and has served 27 years of his 40-year sentence. Jennifer's father helps makes strides for victims' rights after his daughter's death. Blame the Federal Reserve. Their story has been oft-repeated, in the retelling burnished to a handful of details: the fateful choice of a route home, the abduction from the railroad tracks, the decision of one to turn back when she heard her friend scream, the clothes ripped from their bodies, the multiple and repeated assaults, the inexplicable decision that they must die in a manner equally brutal. Sources: Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell 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. endobj cemeteries found in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. "Nothing he would say to me would make any difference," he said. The day after the murders, Cantu showed up at his job at an oil change shop and acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, his boss told the Chronicle at the time. The murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, occurred on June 24, 1993.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.. August 18, 2010 / 12:40 PM ", It also had other ramifications. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Instead of remorse there was violence from Cantu. Ertman rejected an invitation from Cantu's lawyer to come to his office and read a letter of apology from Cantu. 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. [7] Before the murders, Houston officials had stated that gangs were not a significant issue in the city. The death sentences of Efrain Prez and Raul Villarreal were commuted to life imprisonment in 2005, following, List of people executed in Texas, 20002009, List of people executed in Texas, 20102019, List of people executed in the United States in 2006, List of people executed in the United States in 2010, "Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murdered While Walking Near Houston Park 25 Years Ago", "Peter Anthony Cantu Execution: Mastermind of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murders to Die Tonight", "Medellin set to die Tuesday for Ertman-Pea killings", "Medellin executed for rape, murder of Houston teens", Murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, "Bodies of Two Girls Discovered: Grim Find Ends Weekend Search in Northwest Houston", "Father of Murdered Girl Questions Bush's Support to Halt Killer's Execution", "Media Advisory: Jose Medellin Scheduled For Execution", "San Antonio turned from bully to savage killer", "Jos Ernesto Medelln v. Texas (Per Curiam)", "Texas Executes Mexican Despite Objections", "Dad confronts parole board to keep daughter's murderer in prison", "Ex-gang leader executed for '93 deaths of 2 Houston girls", "Last Statement Derrick O'Brien" at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice profile, "Father of Brutally Murdered Teen, victims' Rights Advocate Randy Ertman Dead at 61", Victim's "Advocate Won't be Witnessing Execution", "Parole Denied for Gang Member Convicted in 1993 Murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena", In Memory of Elizabeth Pea and Jennifer Ertman - 1993, Details of Cantu's 1997 appeal against his convictions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Jennifer_Ertman_and_Elizabeth_Pea&oldid=1137725274. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the to. To kill security guards at the alternative School he periodically attended of their deaths, the allows... 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