Elizabeth Christine Pena and Jennifer Ertman were friends who went to Waltrip High School in Houston. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. [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. Ertman and Pena were headed home from a party, and took a shortcut to make it home by their 11 p.m. curfew the night they were killed. 25 years after the murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena. Cantu has been on death row longer than his victims were alive. [32] He petitioned the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue; the appeal failed. 0000000931 00000 n Family members are now allowed to address the convicted, and victims' families now have the choice and right to view. "We can't go back and change what happened to your family, but we can change for others who come along, and we'll leave a lasting legacy for your daughters that will last for eternity," Kahan said. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. This prompted Medelln to say the gang "had fun" and that details would appear on the news. The Ertmans and Penas are videotaping their protest for the parole board, in case they are not here in 18 years to protest in person. By approximately 10:30 p.m., Villarreal had successfully fought two gang members before being beaten midway through his fight with the third member. 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. Their bodies were found four days after they were murdered. Oops, something didn't work. /Filter /FlateDecode This location was approximately one mile from Pea's home. a, perhaps with children of their own. Jennifer's father helps makes strides for victims' rights after his daughter's death. 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. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? She screamed. Search above to list available cemeteries. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Ertman will stand a few feet away, watching again through the window. They were both abducted and murdered. Instead of remorse there was violence from Cantu. concluded that Jennifer Ertman died from trauma to the neck which could include strangulation. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin Posted at 01:41h in to avoid accidents, a defensive driver should by August 18, 2010 / 12:40 PM To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. This is what happened to 14 year old Jennifer Ertman and 16 year old Elizabeth Pea. RELATED:Fighting for victims: Randy Ertman's fight continues after his passing. Verify and try again. 0000011007 00000 n /Parent 64 0 R IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Six anonymous teens stoked on alcohol and testosterone needed only an hour or so to make their mark on the city. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. In June 1993, Houston was busy reveling in the boom after the bust. Wage growth is slowing. 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.". Six teenagers repeatedly raped, assaulted, then beat the girls to death, beyond recognition. 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. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. [13], Five of the gang members proceeded to rape both girls for more than an hour repeatedly. He apparently did as he pleased. Add to your scrapbook. Five others were convicted of capital murder in the case. An Orgy Of Violence At first, the teenage boys grabbed Elizabeth, while . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. In response, Cantu tackled and repeatedly kicked the girl in her face and body, dislodging three teeth and fracturing several ribs. AN ORGY OF VIOLENCE At first, the teenage boys grabbed Elizabeth, while Jennifer escaped. /Root 73 0 R This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Elizabeth Pena's body was similarly . Their photos are familiar now, attached to countless news reports since then: the same two pictures, teen girls who despite the makeup were girls still. Seven minutes later, O'Brien was dead. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. The families of both Ertman and Pea strongly favored the execution(s). when they committed their crimes. The medical examiner corroborated that the cause of death was strangulation. "[20], Cantu dropped off Jos Medelln, Prez, and Villarreal at his residence, where he lived with his brother, Joe Cantu, and sister-in-law, Christina Cantu. "He was a kid you remembered," one former teacher said. Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. [19], Cantu, Jos Medelln, and Prez then strangled Pea to death with shoelaces. He was sentenced under juvenile guidelines because he was 14 at the time of the crime. /Contents [ 75 0 R ] Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. He will be the third of the attackers to be put to death, following, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Oops! There are multiple parking options available for those looking to attend the Houston Rodeo. When the pair realized that they were going to be late returning home, they decided to leave the party to commit the curfew both had promised to their parents. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. /Type /Page Please reset your password. Four days later, when searchers finally found Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, their bodies were unrecognizable. Family members are now allowed to address the convicted, and victims' families now have the choice and right to view the execution of their perpetrators. [4], Ertman and Pea decided to take a 10-minute shortcut to Pea's residence in Oak Forest by following the railroad tracks and passing through T.C. He told Venancio Medelln to stay behind because he was too little to watch. The other gang members forced the girls into a wooded area. Family and friends gathered at the park this weekend to pay tribute to a pair of lives lost and the impact they had on criminal justice policy. HUNTSVILLE, Texas --The State of Texas executed Peter Cantu Tuesday evening for the brutal murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Corey Mitchell's book "Pure Murder," which details the story of the killings of Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman, was released in 2008 and became a best seller.Notice: This memorial is being managed in abeyance until a proper manager requests control of the memorial. Two Waltrip High School students had left a Thursday night gathering of friends in a rush to be home before their curfew. On the night of June 24, 1993 -. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. /MediaBox [ 0 0 612 791 ] Try again. to Ertman. At sentencing, the offenders were remanded to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. By coincidence, a handful of teenagers who had just completed a boozy, fight-filled gang initiation ritual noticed their shadowy figures. [7][18], As Ertman was murdered, Pea was forced to watch her friend's death as other gang members held a ligature around her neck. Jennifer's father made the drive here four years ago for the first execution. /O 74 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.. Five of the gang members proceeded to repeatedly rape both girls for in excess of an hour. All of it - the entire ugly tableau of human destruction - was told as if it had been a TV rerun from a year ago. % This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Medellin was among six gang members who were sentenced. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A former gang member convicted for his role in the brutal murder of two Houston teens has been denied parole, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. [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. Peter Anthony Cantu, Jos Ernesto Medelln, Derrick Sean O'Brien, Efrain Prez, and Raul Omar Villarreal received death sentences. They expressed no regret or even a second thought at what they had done. xref [24][25][26], At sentencing, the offenders were remanded to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. Year should not be greater than current year. We love them and miss them," Adolph Pena said. "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. No crime in modern Houston history has resonated like this one, Kahan said. 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. Both completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Pea's presence. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7051821/jennifer-lee-ertman. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Look at me! Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Elizabeth Pea (7053887)? Weve updated the security on the site. The case was also notable in that the state of Texas rejected attempts by the International Court of Justice to halt several perpetrators' executions. Of the six people convicted for the heinous crimes, five were sentenced to death. Venancio Medelln, the brother of Jos Medelln, was 14 at the time of the murder, the same age as Jennifer Ertman. This was something more than the danger inherent in big-city life. [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. We have set your language to Hell, no.". On Friday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles refused his clemency petition. 0000006863 00000 n /Type /Catalog It will not erase from memory the faces in the photographs, or the knowledge of what happened to them. The attackers shouted obscenities at TV cameras when they were arrested and reportedly bragged of their crimes once in their jail cells. of Criminal Justice), How Alaska became one of fentanyl's deadliest frontiers, Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect, Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. Randy Ertman's fiery red hair is gray, and now Cantu is dead. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Somehow the story became worse at trial. Sources: Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell But Elizabeth's desperate cries brought Jennifer back to help her best friend. The families of both Ertman and Pea strongly favored the execution(s). Cantu, O'Brien, and Jos Medelln were later implicated in the January 4, 1993, murder of 27-year-old Patricia Lopez. "Look at me. Ertman and Pea decided to take a 10-minute shortcut to Pea's residence in Oak Forest by following the railroad tracks and then passing through T.C. 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. Their killers were soon rounded upa brutal, unrepentant gang of teenage boys whose convictions should have put them behind bars for life. 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. << Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. at the time, got a 40-year sentence. The two were best friends and had a beautiful, long life ahead of them. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. You're not even an animal. Thanks for your help! Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Kahan assisted the girl's parents in changing state policy to allow relatives of victims to witness executions. Memorials to Ertman and Pea in TC Jester Park: In the background is the railroad bridge where the two were initially attacked. He then apologized to his own family before he was executed by lethal injection. In 1993, while walking home Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena were sexually assaulted and murdered by a group of boys/men that called themselves "The Black and White Gang". You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Elizabeth Christine Pea I found on Findagrave.com. Please try again later. 0000004107 00000 n In that case, a 27-year-old woman was found at a Houston park with her throat cut. Because of their deaths, the state allows victim impact. Jennifer Latson of the Houston Chronicle said that the deaths of the girls "shook" the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston "to its foundation. The case spurred legislative reform in Texas' criminal justice system. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. cemeteries found in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Prior to his execution, O'Brien expressed his regrets for his actions to the families of Pea and Ertman. "This is. >> Failed to remove flower. Christina Cantu questioned why Villarreal was bleeding, and Prez had a bloody shirt. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He is now 41 and has served 27 years of his 40-year sentence. In: Mangino, Matthew T. This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 03:48. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Year should not be greater than current year. [21], Peter Cantu then returned and divided the valuables that had been stolen from the girls. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. 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 1993. 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 0000005760 00000 n 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. /Prev 62433 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7053887/elizabeth-christine-pe%C3%B1a. Derrick O'Brien was the first to be executed on July 11, 2006. The parents of Ertman and Pe a could not be reached for comment. 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