Chris Cravey had gotten all the locks changed upon hearing about Ashleas murder. The fire had been extinguished by then. Then they turned their sights on Harris, who held the store keys, for their plot to make off with tens of thousands of dollars. At a minimum, this took at least a month of planning. She told Chris police were asking about an Infiniti G35. It looked new as there was notany noticeable wear and the plastic price tag fastener was still attached. After work, Ashlea returned to herapartment around 3.15am and Alexis called over for a few minutes. Cervantes had worked at American Eagle Outfitters for several years and managed a store in Amarillo, Texas. He met his girlfriend Carter Cervantez there. He had looked at his alarm clock and saw the time was 7:30 am. It was a black Infiniti G35 with a faded toll sticker on its roof. He was also fired per store policy. Police conducted a second search of the apartment on December 4th and found a key in the kitchen trash can. The day after Thanksgiving Day. Her lover, David, continued working at the Amarillo store but began to miss shifts regularly. 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 throat had been cut and she had been set on fire. December 10, 2014 / 11:07 AM It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. CourtListener is sponsored by the non-profit Free Law Project. 2023 Chilling Crimes. Then he heard a loud thump right above him as Ashleas bedroom was directly above his. , updated This was somebody who killed her out of anger. Today, Ft. Worth is a thriving city of approximately 800,000 residents. Her bond was set at $500,000. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! She would always find a way at work to make it harder on you, former co-worker Leticia Groen told Snapped.. Mark Sedwick, a special agent with the FBI and a member of the Cellular Analysis Survey Team, testified as to the content of texts that had been sent at 11.52amon the 28th of November between Clarence's phoneandCarter's phone: Carter's phone-Hey, remember that thing you said I didnt clean well?Did you clean it? While the homicide took place nearly 6 hours. One week later Cravey called Cervantez. The Jury heard that a. t 6.56am,Alexishad a missed call from Ashlea and when she noticed it, Another neighbor, Patrick Sweet, also testified. The term Black Friday originated in Philadelphia to describe heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. The jury did not believe her. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. Jeff was a neighbor and friend of Ashlea's. Harris was born in 1983 and grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. However, her loyalty to the store where she was employed would tragically lead to her death. Cervantes also received a sentence of life without parole at a. She transferred to the Hulen Mall location and held an assistant store manager position. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Cervantes and Mallorys apartment and found a shopping receipt from November 21 for shovels, gloves, duct tape, rope, and a tarp. 04:27 GMT 25 Aug 2017. As a result of his incompetency, he was fired, and American Eagle put him on the Do Not Hire Again list. Police believed she saw them talking with Clarence in the car park and walked the two miles home. Take out all the trash andleave that. They raped her for not following through with the robbery. The couple had been fired from the American Eagle store at the Hulen Mall after being suspected of stealing nearly $18,000 from the store's safe in August 2014. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison . The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that 27-year-old Carter Carol Cervantez was convicted of capital murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. Jeffcrawled midway to the kitchen before he was forced to get out for some air. by Chilling Crimes Harris was found dead in her apartment several hours later when firefighters responded to a fire alarm. Police searched their apartment. Home From what he could make out it was a female lying face down on the floor in front of the bed. They later found her at her apartment complex doing laundry. But surveillance video confirmed she was not being truthful and it showed her leaving the mall and walking towards her home. One of her former co-workers, Leticia Groen, explained, They werent supposed to be dating because she controlled his pay, she controlled how much he worked, and she would just give him more preferential treatment. Ashlea went through the surveillance footage and alleged Carter and David to be the burglars, as Carter was seen leaving the back door of the store unlocked when she took the garbage out the night before. He called 911 when his carbon monoxide detector wentoff and he realized there was a fire. Investigators believed Cervantes and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle store. It was approximately 6 ft. long, 2 ft wide and 3 feet deep. A Friday. Detective Cedillo radioed dispatch and asked them to send a marked patrol call to the mall. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. As word of the fire spread throughout the community, Harris friends rushed to the scene, desperate for information. When he realized it was Ashlea's apartment and when he observed her car was still parked outside, he ran upstairs and kicked her door down. I became interested in this case after listening to Dateline Podcast from November 29, 2019 episode entitled Black Friday. I had some questions that werent answered on the show and thought Id see what I could find. She was savagely beaten. 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. She was inside getting some paperwork she needed to complete. All were missing. She told the Jury that he controlled her and even told her when she could eat or drink. In August 2016, Clarence David Mallory was found guilty of murder one after one hour of jury deliberation. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. Both denied knowing anything about the homicide and claimed to be together on Thanksgiving, having dinner and watching movies. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. He testified that he wokethat morning when he heardthe sound of the fire alarms. Carter was arrested the following day by Tarrant County deputies. that the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. Both Mallory and Cervantez are questioned and released despite both being caught lying and contradicting each other. There were extensive text messages between the two as they watched the store. According to local news reports,the opening manager discovered $17,850.32 had been stolen from the safe. out-of-date, incorrect offense/sentence details, record expunged, etc), please send an email to: Violent Offenders: Evidence and Treatment, Prison Suicide: Methods, Risk, and Prevention, Executions and Execution Rates (by State), Childhood Psychopathy Scale (CPS) (41-Item Version), Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), Jung Self-Rating Scale for Depression (SDS), Borderline Personality Disorder Self-Report, California Psychological Inventory (Socialization), Correctional Mental Health Screening for Men, Black Guerilla Family: Prison Gang Profile, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-COG), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form) (GDS-SF), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD or HAM-D), Ohio Risk Assessment System - Pretrial (ORAS-PAT), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), University of Rhode Island Change Assessment(URICA), Christina Melton Crain Unit Prison, Texas Inmates & Offenders, https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action?sid=50612977, Search is on for inmate accidentally released from Colorado jail, Search for Escaped Inmate in Ellis County, Search underway after inmate escapes in Sabine Parish, Three inmates escape Athens County correctional facility, one apprehended, Man Accused of Helping Callahan County Inmate Escape Self-Surrenders, Oklahoma DOC unveils new inmate search feature, Search continues for Inmate who escaped from Lawrence County work release, Correctional Facility or Supervision Authority, Department of Corrections Inmate / Offender Record. Harris hands and feet were bound with duct tape, police said. Cerevantez and Mallory had previously worked with Harris at the American Eagle store, but this summer were suspected of stealing $18,000 dollars from it. He opened a window in the bedroom to air it out. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. It was then he saw a body. At that point is where it all becomes apparent why they killed Ashlea Harris. A bottle of it found near the body. Dr Richard Fries, a deputy medical examiner at the Tarrant County MedicalExaminers Officer, performed the Autopsy on Ashleas body. At that location, Detective Cedillo found what he describes as a human grave. She came from a blended family. But prosecutors said Cervantez planned the crime, which involved stealing Harris' keys to the American Eagle Outfitters store at Hulen Mall in Fort Worth so the couple could take the cash from the store. She bends down to unlock it but is unable to. She told the Court that she left Ashlea's apartment after 4am the morning of the 28th of November and that when she left, Ashlea locked the door. Inside he found 2 shovels and a box of plastic sheeting. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. The only thing missing from Ashlea's apartment were her keys. On December 4, 2014, arrest warrants were issued for Carter Carol Cervantez and Clarence David Mallory Jr. Jeans with FWPD Crime Scene Unit. She then walks to American Eagle and goes out of view. By Cervantez is being held in the Fort Worth Jail. 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He went searching for the reason it was going off and then noticed water dripping from the bathroom ceiling. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape,. It was their case that they wanted her keys to steal the money from the store but also that they wanted revenge after they held Ashlea responsible for them losing their jobs. / CBS News/AP. They found ample evidence in both places, including a gun used to pistolwhip Ashlea, receipts for a murder kit, including the duct tape used to bind her, and her blood on the floor mat of their vehicle. . Prosecutors for the case showed surveillance video of Cervantez buying shovels and other gear on November 21st, with the intention of digging a grave for Harris. He was able to unlock the trunk of Mallorys Cadillac using keys found in the black Infiniti. terminated for leaving the store unsecured. Via the Star-Telegram: Cervantez testified that she and Mallory went to Cleburne and rented a motel room on Nov. 28, but later that day Mallory had her drive to Hulen Mall while he toyed with a 9 mm Glock handgun he held in his lap. Upon searching Mallorys cell phone there were text messages that contained latitude and longitude coordinates. She stole Ashleas keys to commit another theft with an even bigger payoff. 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. ", Sign up to get the latest true crime stories, new product releases and more, Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more . The scream was followed by a loud thud and hecould hear labored breathing. The 31-year-old was an assistant manager at the American Eagle Outfitters store in the Abilene mall in Texas. Carter Carol Cervantes worked as a store manager of an American Eagle Outfitters outlet in Amarillo, Texas. She claims that Mallory drove her to the Hulen Mall not once, but twice. But at least there are some you can understand. 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 missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. The Prosecution claimed that person was Carter. This was torture, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau told Snapped.. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. Police were contacted when the theft was discovered, but I dont know if they questioned Mallory or Cervantez. 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. The M.E. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. They stalked Ashlea Harris like people stalk a deer.". It was the proceeds from the sales during the recently concludedTexas Sales Tax Holiday Weekend in August. He followed them as Mallory drove to the Hulen Mall. The following opinions cover similar topics: CourtListener is a project of Free On Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday, those were our highest deposit days, said Groen. He asked if she would be willing to go downtown to be interviewed and she agreed. When he went to touch her, he saw that her wrists and ankles were duct-taped. Cervantez was the first to go to trial in May 2016. 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. Police have said they believe that Cervantez, 27, and Clarence David Mallory, 21, beat and bound Harris and then set her body on fire to steal her keys . The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. He observed. She is described by the store manager, Chris Cravey, as being a phenomenal employee who was loved by everyone.. 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. Mallory is awaiting his trial on the same charges. below Ashlea's apartment and hetold police that he heard a thump, screaming and heavy breathing. Police set up surveillance outside Carter's home and the next morning, the Saturday morning, at 8 am they saw her leave her apartment and getinto her Infiniti G35 with a man. The district manager decided to give Cervantez a fresh start. Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. Cervantez was the assistant store manager who was to lock up the night of the theft. Police asked Mallory to see his drivers license which he told them he did not have on him. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. Clarence David Mallory (age 19) had previously worked for American Eagle at their Amarillo location. A mysterious fire, missing keys, and a black sports car. However, things went awry after she hired a teen employee named Clarence David Mallory Jr., then 19, and started dating him, as per local reports. Fort Worth Police Detective Jerry Cedillo was staking out the apartment on the morning of November 29 when he saw Cervantes and Mallory get in her car and drive to the Hulen Mall. Im so sorry I forgot. He also described seeing the dark-colored vehicle driving away shortly after hearing Ashleas front door close. The Jury heard that at 6.56am,Alexishad a missed call from Ashlea and when she noticed it, just a few minutes later, she called her back but there was no answer. He observedthat the smoke detector had been removed and was underneath the mattress. They were not able to open the gate and promptly left. The prosecution alleged Carter to be the mastermind behind the homicide. Mallory threatened to hurt her parents and relatives if she did not do what she was told, Cervantez said. However, things went awry after she hired a teen employee named Clarence David Mallory Jr., then 19, and started dating him, as per local reports. Text messages obtained from Cervantes and Mallorys phones showed them plotting Harris murder as part of a planned Black Friday heist. They were there to get the keys, said Cedillo. | Store The Court heard testimony from Steven Lee. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. When she tried to call her back Ashlea didnt pick up. He testified that at around 7.30am on the 28th of November, he woke when heheard a loud scream. | Privacy Statement. Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, was taken into custody by Tarrant County Sheriffs on Saturday. Her name was Carter Carol Cervantez. Fire investigator, Wallace Hood, with the Ft. Worth Fire Department arrived on the scene around 8:45 am. Precedential, Citations: Whoever was the last person to leave had locked the door behind them. These included a receipt for a cutaway practice lock that had been mailed to Cervantez & Mallorys apartment and a lock picking instruction manual. Due to that, they wanted to speak to the owner of the Infiniti G35. According to news reports, Carter was an assistant store manager at the time, along with 31-year-oldAshlea Ann Harris. Who Killed Her? The Court heard that the car was still there when Steven left for work after 7.30am. This was done while Chris Cravey was out on medical leave. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Sign up to receive the Free Law Project newsletter with tips and announcements. Detective Cedillo entered the mall looking for Cervantez but was unable to find her. with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office testified to Ashlea Harriss cause of death. She admitted to not locking the back door the night of the theft. When police looked at mall surveillance the video showed a person wearing a grey sweatshirt and black hat arrive at the security gate at American Eagle. He thought that somebody had collected Ashlea for work. Police had to establish if they were involved in Ashlea's death what the motive was.