"(Strickland) cannot take the gun, computer or ID evidence away. 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. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. His wife is charged with tampering with evidence. It points out that a jury found "ample evidence" to convict Strickland. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe, After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. He then sexually assaulted and shot them. Rachel Timson and Sarah Dime embrace during a vigil. Although a bullet casing was found on the scene, no weapon has been discovered and there are currently no suspects in the shooting. He is charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 2012 attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. "There are still a lot of things that that we cannot release but we're confident that we do have our person.". 0:59 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Chapa had to relearn how to walk, talk and even smile again after the attack, she said, noting that she's now "doing well" overall. PHOTOS: A Visual History of the Gay-Rights Movement. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. About 100 people came out for the vigil to remember Olgin, who died June 23 at the park, and show their support for Chapa, who is in the hospital in stable condition. Authorities didn't investigate the fatal attack as a hate crime even though the incident happened during Pride weekend. In August 1986, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the escape. "We don't want that person to have knowledge of the warrant and be tipped off.". Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. Police were led to David Strickland in 2014 after Chapa's father received an anonymous letter containing information about the crime not released to the public. David Strickland was charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. Photo: Portland Police Department, Laura Strickland, 23, was arrested June 20, 2014, in Helotes. He was also seen talking to people at the crime scene, telling them that his partner, Laura, knew one of the victims. Due to the attacks brutal nature, it received heavy media coverage and resulted in public outrage. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. A psychologist also concluded in 2009 that David had hallucinations and suicidal ideations. [1], David Malcolm Strickland was convicted of the crime in 2014. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. More:Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, More:Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, More:'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Seven years after her girlfriend was killed and she was seriously injured in a brutal attack, Kristene Chapa spoke openly to "The View" about testifying against her attacker. He was released on parole in July 1985. The 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. The chief described the fathers preliminary actions in general terms. Ammunition found in his possession was identified as the same ammunition used in the killings of Boone and Turner. Attorneys for convicted killer David Strickland are asking for a hearing along with records they hope will prove someone else was to blame for the 2012 double shooting in a Portland park. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Both women were stripped of their clothes and left for dead after being shot execution-style. Committed the July 24, 1979, murder of Anna Marie Hlavka in. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. [8] In October 1999, he was executed in the Huntsville Unit by lethal injection. A series of fortunate events has led us to this point and I'm just very happy that we could help in at least at this point in bringing him to justice., Hes a stone cold killer who thought he got away with murder, but will finally pay for his crime, said Robert R. Almonte, United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Police Chief Randy Wright says there's no evidence that the attack was motivated by their relationship. About 50 people attended the event. 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. McFadden raped and strangled Harrison and dumped her body in a park about 25 miles (40km) from Lake Hawkins. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. "I felt powerful, like I took my power back to be able to stand up against him," Chapa said. His attorney, Cynthia Orr, told the Caller-Times that the type of DNA testing technology that would be conducted on a piece of pubic hair found on Chapa was not available during the time of Strickland's trial. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. [2], On June 23, 2012, birdwatchers at Violet Andrews Park called police after discovering two women's bodies lying below a viewing deck. December 17, 2021 In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. Olgin had already died of a gunshot wound to the head, and Chapa was in grave condition but survived to tell about the ordeal. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. Courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Daly Mellinger holds Norma Jean, a Boston Chihuaha, as she watches the vigil with Jennifer Cota at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. Cops found three people dead inside the childs bedroom: Jennifer Phillips, Eli Garza and the perpetrator Roel Garza. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 16:43. Eyewitnesses also placed Spellman at Violet Andrews Park both before and after the crime. It was sufficient evidence for the jury, and, regardless of the veracity of this alleged DNA test results is still sufficient evidence to sustain the conviction," the motion states. Then, he took it back. Authorities said last year they didnt believe the attack was a hate crime, but they hadnt established a motive. [3] There were several witnesses who had seen McFadden close to the scene of the crime on the day of the killings. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. Despite having the sketches, Portland Police, who were investigating the case with help from the Texas Rangers, had no leads until earlier this month. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. 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. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. The other man, from Nevada,admitted he was at the park that night and lived in the area at the time of the shooting. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. WebMollie Olgin was a 19-year-old woman murdered on June 22, 2012 in Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas after she and her girlfriend were attacked and shot. We've been working very hard to make sure we get him as soon as possible. Under the police timeline, the father killed his family, made the 911 call and then died by suicide. Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without parole, but the new Dateline episode suggests new DNA evidence could prove someone else was to blame. Please keep us in your prayers.. Convicted in 1979 of aggravated sexual assault for kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and an unconscious Chapa was taken to a local hospital where she eventually regained consciousness. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. IE 11 is not supported. 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. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora). In a Nov. 30 motion that was previously sealed, Strickland's attorney Cynthia Orr argues a different man whose DNA was found at thescene and on the surviving victimis actually responsible for the crime. Strickland was expected to be transferred to a jail in Sinton, outside of Portland, on Saturday, Giles said. Samantha Garrett, Olgins roommate, said that the couple had not received any threats or hateful remarks about their new relationship. We know fromMollies parents that they were close, he said. The results, Strickland's lawyers argue,reveal it belonged to the other man. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. According to police, around 1:30 a.m., a man called 911 and told officers he was distraught and to go to Escondido St. The Layton man's home had been burglarized that year by David Strickland, a former friend. Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, and her girlfriend, Mollie Olgin, 19, were shot in the head at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas on June 22. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. She was found the next day. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparentlyshot by a mysterious assailantin Portland, Texas Friday night. In May, Strickland'sattorneyCynthia Orr,Fort Worth lawyer Michael Logan Ware and Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project signed afiling for a proposed order requestingaccess to physical evidence, records and results ofDNA testing, hair and trace evidence, jail phone calls andrecorded interviews of the other man. Portland police released two composite sketches of the male shooter, based upon information from Chapa as she recuperated. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. The Portland Police Department released this sketch July 4, 2012, in the attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. [12][13], On September 28, 2016, a San Patricio County jury found David Strickland guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. U.S. Nevertheless, the jury found David, then 30, guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. The prosecution did not pursue the death penalty, and therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. I cant find her. Mollie, 19, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead on the scene. [9], Layton Police investigating the burglary had discovered evidence in Strickland's car including two guns, ammunition, a suppressor, gloves and a backpack containing condoms, flex handcuffs, bolt cutters, a knife and other items. 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. After an investigation, police confirmed that Garza shot his child and wife, and then took his own life shortly after hanging up with Portland PD. 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