TX - Lizbeth Medina, 16, high school cheerleader, found dead in bedroom, murder suspect arrested - Edna, 5 Dec 2023

[Marie A]

This just makes me sick.
Rest in peace poor Lizbeth.
God bless her distraught mother.
When I read about this case I immediately thought about poor young Maria Gonzalez who was raped and killed before being shoved under the bed in Pasedena, TX by 18 year old migrant Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez on August 12 of this year. He resided in the same apartment complex.
Also no forced entry.
Praying they find this evil perp quickly & justice is served.

 

[otto]

I wonder why the perp would return to a crime scene (assuming it was the same party).

• Was anything taken the first time?
• How was entry obtained each time?
• Was he/they looking for something he couldn't find the first time?
• Was he/they looking to harm someone from the beginning, but no one was home the first time?
• Or was robbery/burglary the intent, and she was killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I thought it made sense - that the break-in could be associated with the murder. The first break-in could be to get the lay of the house.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"Lizbeth was getting ready to go to school - she was still in her pajamas," said Ana Medina. "We have no information right now about anything. We just want answers."

Investigators would not specify what led them to believe the cause of Medina’s death was murder, stating that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said they still have not identified a suspect responsible for Lizbeth’s death. They increased patrols in the area, and are working to bring the perpetrator to justice, Edna Police Chief Rick Boone said in a Facebook post.

Mother finds 16-year-old daughter murdered in bathtub of Texas apartment

Lizbeth Medina was a cheerleader at Edna High School with dreams of becoming a nurse.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“The curtains were closed so I didn’t see her, but when I opened those curtains...I just want justice for my baby,” she told the outlet.

Since Lizbeth’s death, her family has been urging the public to report any misinformation that may be spreading through social media, saying it will interfere with police investigation.

In a video posted on Facebook, Jacqueline Medina mentioned a specific TikTok video she said was spreading “gruesome” misinformation about her daughter.

“You have no clue how you’re affecting me as her mother,” she said

Mystery Surrounds 16-Year-Old Texas Cheerleader Found Murdered In Bathtub

Lizbeth Medina's mother said she suspects her daughter knew her killer, stating that there were no sign of forced entry.

www.huffpost.com

 

[otto]

"Lizbeth was getting ready to go to school - she was still in her pajamas," said Ana Medina. "We have no information right now about anything. We just want answers."

Investigators would not specify what led them to believe the cause of Medina’s death was murder, stating that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said they still have not identified a suspect responsible for Lizbeth’s death. They increased patrols in the area, and are working to bring the perpetrator to justice, Edna Police Chief Rick Boone said in a Facebook post.

Mother finds 16-year-old daughter murdered in bathtub of Texas apartment

Lizbeth Medina was a cheerleader at Edna High School with dreams of becoming a nurse.

www.nbcnews.com

That helps to narrow down the timeline. Her mom went to work, she was getting ready for school, the parade, cheer leading, but she didn't even have time to get out of her pyjamas.

Perhaps someone knocked on the same door her mother used when she left - and Lizbeth opened the door? That's why her mother didn't see her until she opened the curtains? No obvious sign of a break-in around windows and doors on the day of the murder?

Did the school phone to report that Lizbeth did not arrive at school? What about when the cheerleaders were preparing for the parade - no one sounded the alarm? Sounds unlikely since mom didn't know anything was wrong until after she realized her daughter was not with the cheerleaders in the Christmas Parade.

The earlier break-in seems like a possible connection since the murder gives the impression of someone who knew how to get into the house before Lizbeth changed out of her pyjamas - familiar with routines and layout of house.

... opinion ... trying to understand what happened, timeline, time of death

 

[ifindedout]

0:56 damage on the door --from what?

 

[otto]

Previous teen murders like this sometimes point to someone local who knew the victim peripherally ... like Bryan Kohberger stalking, watching, deadly. Previous break-in might be specifically related to Lizbeth. Was anything missing from her room, or moved?

During another court case: "... prosecutors ... citing uncannily similar patterns in attacks that were all in places near the place where [the suspect] lived at the time.

Allowed to cite evidence from the Illinois case, [prosecutors] said all four attacks were the work of a skilled serial killer who studied the lives, homes and habits of victims that he stabbed quickly, powerfully and repeatedly with a knife that he knew how to use, and studied ways to cover his tracks.

"[One of the victims], 22-year-old Ashley Ellerin was supposed to have drinks with Ashton Kutcher, who testified at the trial."

USA Today

 

[otto]

0:56 damage on the door --from what?

Was a patio door jimmied during the break-in? These photos must be the taped off front of the building, stairwell to the second floor, and main floor patio door.

ABC News Video

 

[otto]

How, and how long after he entered the house, was she killed? Still in her pyjamas. Immediately, or later in the day. I'm curious whether there are similar murders in the country. It sounds too clean to be a first timer.

And ... maybe I'm completely wrong and it was something to do with the parade.

 

[otto]

The main floor patio door on the left might have been jimmied. Do we know which is her apartment?

 

[otto]

Did she have a boyfriend? I'm assuming that if she did, he has been accounted for.

The timeline is interesting because it can rule in or out other students. If the murder happened while she was in her pyjamas and well before school started, it could be a secret boyfriend. In my opinion, how she died will answer that question. Was this an hesitant teen first timer, or someone sophisticated who broke into the home earlier, possibly damaged locks, and counted on it taking time to repair the locks?

 

[Springrain]

I'm curious to know if anything was taken from the home during the break in, and if so, were the items related to Lizbeh?
I lean towards an obsessed stalker, sort of similar to the Jayme Closs kidnapping, where the perpetrator was obsessed with Jayme after seeing her once and became fixated until he killed her parents to get to her. Obviously the circumstances of these two cases are very different, and thank the Lord that Jayme Closs is still with us - but imo it is not impossible that some crazy person felt entitled to poor Lizbeth. Imo the fact that she seemed to be caught at a time where she was alone and may have expected her mom to be at the door shows that it is possible that whoever did this knew her family's routine and when to "strike".

I don't think the murder was necessarily committed by someone who'd killed before. A lot of these cases end up being perpetrated by people who have never been suspected or proved to have killed before or since. People can commit the most heinous and disgusting of crimes and live "normal" (seemingly normal) lives before/after. Joseph James Deangelo and Dennis Rader come to mind for this.

Whatever happened, all I can do is hope and pray that the sicko piece of excrement who did this is caught and that Lizbeth and her family can get some justice. I cannot even imagine what her poor mom is going through right now. Nobody on earth should have to endure that, especially with her finding Lizbeth...beyond words.

 

[Yemelyan]

The Edna Police Department posted this update 8 hours ago:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02EXqHQGZFdrf6T6BDLY5vEAZZPqTHi2DgYMq6iy7aVDkGLF2YsgfkTkgQFdv2FSuml&id=100064563557667

Also on MSM here from 16 minutes ago: Person of interest photos released in murder of Edna High School cheerleader

There is an image of the suspect and the possible car. Black "Volcom" hoodie and silver Taurus. In the Facebook comments from the police department, the police chief responds that this image was from 10-10:30 am.

 

[Yemelyan]

Volcom is a lifestyle brand of skate, surf, swim and snowboarding clothes, from their website.

In the images provided by police, it's interesting that one hand is covered by the sleeve of his hoodie. Does he appear to be wearing shoes or not?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Attached to a release by the Edna Police Department, the photos show a man wearing a black 'Volcom' hooded sweatshirt and was seen driving a silver Ford Taurus, with the model year ranging from 2010-2018.

According to the release, the man in question may have a tattoo behind his right ear. Police did not elaborate on any other physical attributes.

"Words can't explain what I felt at that moment, finding my daughter in the manner that she was," Medina said in an interview with Crossroads Today.

Investigators confirmed that the case will be viewed as a capital murder case along with the help of the Texas Rangers and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Person of interest photos released in murder of Edna High School cheerleader

Edna police released images of an unidentified man who they say may be linked to the death of a 16-year-old cheerleader whose mother made the gruesome discovery on Tuesday.

abc13.com

*I can’t imagine why this guy murdered this young girl. Obsession?

 

[charminglane]

Suspect is probably clean shaven now.

 

[iamshadow21]

Suspect is probably clean shaven now.

Still a creep who committed a home invasion to kill a minor, though. He can't change that. And he's caught on video. Someone will recognise him.

MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

Confused a little about reported circs... Header says she was found in her bedroom, one of the early articles in the thread says she was found in the bathtub, mother says she was in pyjamas. A bathtub obviously isn't going to be in her bedroom...

MOO

 

[ifindedout]

Volcom is a lifestyle brand of skate, surf, swim and snowboarding clothes, from their website.

In the images provided by police, it's interesting that one hand is covered by the sleeve of his hoodie. Does he appear to be wearing shoes or not?

Looks like he's in socks, or (less likely) a right shoe and a left stocking foot.

 

[Yemelyan]

Looks like he's in socks, or (less likely) a right shoe and a left stocking foot.

The left foot looks unshod to me too. Wonder if the shoes were left behind?