The motion states while prosecutors agreed to have the DNA testing done, they didn't agree that Strickland would be exonerated. It was higher than in 44.6% U.S. cities. The letter included details that hadn't been released to the media. Kristene Chapa's girlfriend died from the 2012 attack. David Strickland was charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. 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 the two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. We know fromMollies parents that they were close, he said. Eyewitnesses also placed Spellman at Violet Andrews Park both before and after the crime. A crowd of over 100 people attend a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. There is still a lot to do in order to prepare the case for prosectuion". The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. Portland police released two composite sketches of the male shooter, based upon information from Chapa as she recuperated. [3] There were several witnesses who had seen McFadden close to the scene of the crime on the day of the killings. I do miss it a lot and, like, even being able to pick up my niece and nephews. Thanks everyone for the texts, messages, and calls but my family and I are just kinda in shock and just shook up, Chapa wrote on Facebook after the arrest was made. PORTLAND, Texas A husband, wife and their five-year-old son are dead after a murder suicide in the City of Portland, according to police. Garza shot both Phillips and Eli twice, Cory said. 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. It is one day before the two-year anniversary. [3], Police used GPS to discover that David Strickland's cell phone had been near the Chapa home when the letter had been hand-delivered. 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. [12][14][15], Attorneys for Strickland filed a motion for his conviction to be overturned based on the newfound DNA evidence, which District Attorney Sam Smith dismissed on an updated episode of Dateline. On Jan. 31, police announced that Jerry Walter McFadden of Texas had killed Anna Marie Hlavka in Portland on Jan. 24, 1979. 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. Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparently shot by a mysterious assailant in Portland, Texas Friday night. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and an unconscious Chapa was taken to a local hospital where she eventually regained consciousness. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. The episode can be streamed on the NBC app or online atwww.nbcnews.com/dateline. The two teenagers were found in tall grass on a park overlook in the small town near Corpus Christi, where one of the two victims attended school. Police have not identified any suspects or announced any arrests. However, at that point, the authorities had another suspect, Dylan Spellman, who was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence. Crimes scene investigators take evidence back to their vans Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. 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. Jason Haas and Veronika Fimbres embrace during a vigil. 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]. December 17, 2021 In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. Photos of Mary Kristene Chapa (left) and her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin that were given to people attending a candle light vigil for the girls Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. Samantha Garrett, Olgins roommate, said that the couple had not received any threats or hateful remarks about their new relationship. These items were turned over to investigators in the Olgin case. 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 prosecution did not seek the death penalty and Strickland was sentenced to life imprisonment. A psychologist also concluded in 2009 that David had hallucinations and suicidal ideations. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. I cant find her. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. David and Laura owned a car that matched the description. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. Nevertheless, the jury found David, then 30, guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. At the time, Strickland denied shooting and raping the girls. Theresa Garnero and Rosie Castillo embrace during a vigil. Chapa, now 20, had gone with Olgin that Friday night to Violet Andrews Park in Portland outside Corpus Christi to see where her girlfriend had been baptized. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night, June 22, 2012, that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. McFadden had been convicted of rape three times between 1972 and 1978, but never had to serve his full sentence. David remains incarcerated at the William G. McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas. This evidence included .45-caliber firearms, handcuffs, ammunition, a lock pick kit, bolt cutters, and other suspicious items. She believed the testing could help exonerate Strickland. Authorities didn't investigate the fatal attack as a hate crime even though the incident happened during Pride weekend. A resident of a nearby home said that she heard two loud bangs the night of the events, but discounted the sounds as firecrackers. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. 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 points out that a jury found "ample evidence" to convict Strickland. The Layton man's home had been burglarized that year by David Strickland, a former friend. It was written from the perspective of a hitman who claimed that someone from Layton, Utah, was responsible for the attacks and had wanted Kristene dead. Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Wright said that police were operating on the assumption that the two girls were dating based on of information from family and friends. 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. Family, friends and supporters walk the trail Friday, June 29, 2012 along Violet Andrews Park as they head to the overlook where teens Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa were found shot last weekend in Portland, Texas. A friend said Chapa remembers 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. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. More: David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Sign up to have news emailed to you daily, David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. One girl is dead and another in serious condition after a mysterious shooting in a normally peaceful town. Since joining the Houston Chronicle staff in 1998, she has covered various beats, including criminal courts and transportation. In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force for help in finding and apprehending the couple. This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 16:43. Portland Police Chief Randy Wright confirmed the identities of the two girls to local NBC affiliates and to MSNBC. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher or the ABC News app. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. U.S. During her recovery, Chapa worked with police to help identify her shooter. 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. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. A vigil will also be held in San Fransisco, a city well known for its support of gay rights. Olgin's girlfriend, Kristene Chapa, then 18, survived. The letter also included a picture of the accused man along with the words, I was told to deliver this or die. A couple out bird watching the next morning found the girls Olgin had died but Chapa, who tried to claw her way out of the thorny brush, was alive. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. He is charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. A new Dateline NBC episode that aired in Decembertook another look at the sexual assaultand shooting of two South Texas women nearly a decade ago. David M. Strickland, 27, and his wife, Laura K. Strickland, 23, were arrested June 20 at their home in Helotes in the San Antonio area. A memorial is seen at the corner of Market and Castro Streets during a vigil for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa (pictured). [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. 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. A few days after the attack, a man named David Strickland went to the police to provide information regarding something he saw on the night of the shootings. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. 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. 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. "I kept waiting. It was higher than in 44.6% U.S. cities. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. She was found the next day. Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head last Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, 'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A poster depicting Kristene Chapa and her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin, at the Chapa residence on June 11, 2013 in Corpus Christi, TX. In the beginning, the authorities used Kristenes help to create a composite sketch of the attacker. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. [3], Other evidence included in the arrest warrant included the fact that a gun in Strickland's possession was matched to bullet casings at the crime scene. (PHOTOS: Teens in America: Class Pictures). "Once we have a warrant, we start doing everything on our end to find the person as quickly as possible," Bozeman said. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. 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Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September 2016. 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. Edward A. Ornelas/San Antonio Express-News, David Strickland, 27, was arrested June 20, 2014, in Helotes. The suspected shooter allegedly forced the girls down a steep incline in the quiet bayside park, bound them and shot them in the head. Teen lesbian couple found shot in Texas park, A Visual History of the Gay-Rights Movement, 13-Year-Old Girl Finds Porn On New Cell Phone, These Are North Koreas 28 State-Approved Hairstyles, Mountain Dews Dub the Dew Online Poll Goes Horribly Wrong. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. He then sexually assaulted and shot them. Chapa is currently taking college courses while writing a book about her experience. Vigils for the women are also scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Texas, among other cities. 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. But after a police press conference on Saturday announcing the arrest, she told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that though she felt safer: It will never take back the pain and hurt he did to our families. He was released on parole in July 1985. His wife faces charges of tampering with evidence. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. [9] A draft of the letter to the Chapa family was found on Strickland's computer. 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. [17] The complaints against Strickland's father and Taft Pharmacy were later dropped from the lawsuit. Dateline: The Overlook chronicles how the police zeroed in on David using a letter sent to Kristenes father. U.S. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. Sister Peggy Ritual and Jason Haas share a moment of silence at a vigil. When questioned about the letter, the Layton man noted a photo of him included in the letter had been taken by Strickland's wife Laura. They said incidents like this are rare, with the last being five years ago. Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? She has recovered those abilities but was still recently undergoing physical rehabilitation. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. Report: Houston is the No. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Portland police have not provided details about how Strickland was linked to the case. 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. Strickland was found guilty in the 2012 shooting at Portland Park that left 19-year-old Mollie Judith Olgin dead and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa seriously injured. PHOTOS: A Visual History of the Gay-Rights Movement. Due to the attacks brutal nature, it received heavy media coverage and resulted in public outrage. 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. San Patricio County prosecutors argued that even if the hair came from another man, it would not exonerate Strickland. Ammunition found in his possession was identified as the same ammunition used in the killings of Boone and Turner. Man and wife jailed in 2-year-old attack on female couple near Corpus Christi, Portland police still seek leads in teen couple shooting. Emailus. He contacted family members Friday evening, said Cory, who did not elaborate much. [10], Laura Strickland was charged with tampering with evidence. Prosecution did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV the women are also scheduled for in. From her clock radio. 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