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

[Dawnee1004]

The suspect reminds me a little of the suspect in Rachel Morin’s murder, though Rachel’s killer looked bow legged and swayback from the Ring camera footage (complete long shot since Rachel was murdered in MD and the previous home invasion was in L. A. )I realize it’s much more likely to be someone local to the area.

Family of woman murdered in Maryland sends flyers to Los Angeles in search of killer

The family of Rachel Morin, who was brutally murdered in rural Maryland earlier this year, has begun distributing flyers in Los Angeles, where DNA evidence linked her killer to a March home invasio…

ktla.com

So help me, something about that guy made me instantly think of the Rachel Morin case, too.

 

[Yemelyan]

That's a good impromptu way to avoid fingerprints if you don't have gloves. You'll leave DNA, most likely, because your feet sweat and have natural oils and shed skin cells, but socks will be thick enough for you to, say, manipulate a doorknob and not leave fingerprints behind.

(Don't do crime, kids.)

MOO

I was thinking that an additional possibility (if he is running away from the scene in these pics), is that he hurt his hand during the commission of the crime. Perhaps he has pulled the sleeve of his hoodie down, or maybe it's a sock or another dark colored object, that he's placed around his hand to keep his blood from dripping.

 

[Trino]

I'm glad they have photos of a possible suspect and hopefully someone recognizes him and calls in with a name soon (if they haven't already).

I'm assuming they probably showed his photo to her mom right away and he wasn't recognized by her. Doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't known to Lizbeth but that her mom didn't know of him. I wonder if they also showed the photo to the HS principal. IMO he does look older than a HS student, though some seniors in HS especially with facial hair can look older than their age (in my experience as a former HS teacher).

I do think the break-in is interesting. Could be a huge coincidence but it happening just two weeks ago makes me think it could be related. I wonder what time of day the break-in happened - also in the morning after Mom left for work? It could have either been casing the place and how easy it is to get in OR a true robbery attempt that Lizbeth interrupted and she saw his face so he came back.

I wonder what specific time her mom left for work vs. what time Lizbeth normally left for school? Curious how big the time window is there. Did Mom reliably lock the door when she left for work? Asking NOT to place blame but they mentioned no sign of forced entry but if it was an unlocked door, he could have just walked in without being invited or being known by Lizbeth. It's also possible of course he just knocked on the door and Lizbeth opened.

Early in the morning I can see someone answering a door. Later in the day, probably not.

 

[Dotta]

What a strange time of the day if it was a burglary - with people getting ready for work or school.
And full daylight to be caught so distinctly on cctv.

Or the aim was to catch the girl alone after Mum left.
He looks like a grown up man to me.

Very strange that the place was targeted twice.

RIP Lizbeth.
So young, with the whole life ahead
Condolences to family.

 

[Rosiebones]

Manhunt for suspect with ear tattoo after cheerleader was found dead

Texas police are looking for a suspect with a distinctive black tattoo behind his right ear in connection with the death of 16-year-old cheerleader Lizbeth Medina.

www.dailymail.co.uk

LE must have other, better pictures of him if they can call that black smudge behind his ear, a unique, distinctive tattoo. MOO MOO MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

What a strange time of the day if it was a burglary - with people getting ready for work or school.
And full daylight to be caught so distinctly on cctv.

Or the aim was to catch the girl alone after Mum left.
He looks like a grown up man to me.

Very strange that the place was targeted twice.

RIP Lizbeth.
So young, with the whole life ahead
Condolences to family.

The first go may have been prowling/mapping the space before the attack.

I have a horrible feeling we're going to find out this girl has been stalked for some time.

I also think the attacker is going to be late teens to mid twenties, max. Or inexperienced. Something about this smacks of inexperience. Peeping, creeping and stalking, yes, probably since early teens, but I think this might be his first kill.

MOO

 

[Yemelyan]

LE must have other, better pictures of him if they can call that black smudge behind his ear, a unique, distinctive tattoo. MOO MOO MOO

They might have an eyewitness to him coming or going, who was close enough to see the tattoo but maybe not know its details. To me it's doubtful that they would reveal the possibility of an eyewitness at this stage or put out a sketch generated from that person's recollection, when they have photos as clear as this (likely it would just muddy the waters - better to run with a known image) IMO.

 

[Dotta]

They might have an eyewitness to him coming or going, who was close enough to see the tattoo but maybe not know its details. To me it's doubtful that they would reveal the possibility of an eyewitness at this stage or put out a sketch generated from that person's recollection, when they have photos as clear as this (likely it would just muddy the waters - better to run with a known image) IMO.

Yes.
He might have been hanging around the place before behaving suspiciously.

JMO

 

[dotr]

Cannot quite put my finger on it, but the poi seems to have a weird body shape, imo, speculation.

Person of interest sought after Texas teen Lizbeth Medina found dead in apartment

“We understand the community wants information in regards to the case, however, we have to keep the integrity of the investigation our number one priority.”

nypost.com

''Edna is home to around 6,000 people and is about 100 miles southwest of Houston.

“We also understand the community is concerned about the individual still being on the loose. Outside agencies are in the area and working with Edna Pd to provide extra patrol,” the department wrote.''

The man is believed to be driving a silver Ford Taurus, with model years ranging from 2010 to 2018.Facebook/Edna Police Department

 

[iamshadow21]

Cannot quite put my finger on it, but the poi seems to have a weird body shape, imo, speculation.

Person of interest sought after Texas teen Lizbeth Medina found dead in apartment

“We understand the community wants information in regards to the case, however, we have to keep the integrity of the investigation our number one priority.”

nypost.com

''Edna is home to around 6,000 people and is about 100 miles southwest of Houston.

“We also understand the community is concerned about the individual still being on the loose. Outside agencies are in the area and working with Edna Pd to provide extra patrol,” the department wrote.''
View attachment 467099

View attachment 467100

View attachment 467101
The man is believed to be driving a silver Ford Taurus, with model years ranging from 2010 to 2018.Facebook/Edna Police Department

His hoodie pocket is hanging low. Weapon? And then in that second image, his hand is in the pocket to steady the item. Gun? Knife?

Never carried a weapon in one, but run with something heavyish in a kangaroo pocket and it bounces around in there, off your belly, and threatens to come out of the pocket opening.

MOO

 

[pigbunny]

Whoever said younger guy was definitely right. Older men typically don’t wear volcom, a skateboarding brand,like his sweatshirt. An immature thirties at best

 

[Dotta]

The poor girl was the aim IMO.
Burglars usually carry bags, no?

 

[iamshadow21]

The poor girl was the aim IMO.
Burglars usually carry bags, no?

Not all. I believe some use trash bags or pillowcases found in the home, or restrict themselves to high value items they can pocket. Jewellery, cash, small electronics.

MOO

 

[Rosiebones]

Here is a link to the apartment complex.

Nothing on there with a floor plan that I can find.

I found this site, see if it helps.

Cottonwood Apartments - 1400 North Wells Street, Edna, TX 77957 - Zumper

View detailed information about Cottonwood Apartments rental apartments located at 1400 North Wells Street, Edna, TX 77957. See rent prices, lease prices, location information, floor plans and amenities.

www.zumper.com

 

[MntnHiker]

Absolutely agree with everyone that he is running in those pics with the way his leg is bent up in the back. In the photo of his car, to me it looks as if it is parked somewhere at an angle, like some parking lots are formatted. In the foreground, it almost looks like the wood of a deck to me. Perhaps someone who lives at the apartment complex has a camera like a Ring on their patio slider and that's where the footage is from? Could be he parked right at the complex.

I also wonder if this is someone who has been stalking/targeting her for a little while at least. He could have gotten familiar with their routine and what time Mom leaves in the morning to know exactly when Lizbeth would be alone. He could have done a "dry run" a few weeks ago if he was in fact the attempted burglary. Just seeing how easy it would be to get in, how long before cops showed up, if anyone else at the complex would come running to check if they heard a noise, etc.

 

[dotr]

Just a thought, fwiw, imo, speculation.
Wondering if the cheerleading team LM belonged to, was particularly competitive?

The Cheerleader Murder Plot

Everyone in Channelview knew that Wanda Holloway would do anything for her daughter. That was the problem.

www.texasmonthly.com

''1991
Holloway believed that by hiring someone to kill 38-year-old Verna Heath and her 13-year-old daughter, Amber, she would assure her own daughter, Shanna, of a place on the cheerleading squad at Channelview High School. For help, she turned to one Terry Harper, her first husband’s brother, who would later recall that when ordering the hit, Wanda was calm: “She wanted it done. She said she could handle it.”

2022

Bucks County mom found guilty of harassing daughter's cheerleader teammates

Raffaela Spone, 51, could face up to a year in prison for using anonymous phone numbers to make inappropriate calls and send hostile messages to three girls

www.phillyvoice.com

''Bucks County mom found guilty of harassing daughter's cheerleader teammates​

Raffaela Spone, 51, could face up to a year in prison for using anonymous phone numbers to make inappropriate calls and send hostile messages to three girls''​

 

[Dotta]

Definitely running

Photos released of suspect in slaying of 16-year-old Texas cheerleader found dead in bathtub

Texas police on Saturday released images of a person in connection with the suspected slaying of a high school cheerleader, who was discovered dead in a bathtub.

www.nydailynews.com

 

[iamshadow21]

I've been racking my brain, trying to work out what case this was reminding me of.

After some intense googling, I think it's Stephanie Bennett.

It doesn't look like there is a thread for her, but FilmRise has the Forensic Files episode they did about her case up in full on YouTube, Calculated Coincidence. There's also a pretty good writeup of the case by someone on Squarespace that should come up in the first page of a search; it did for me.

Stephanie's killer certainly didn't do this - he committed suicide when captured - but there's a feeling of similarity between the nature of these two crimes I can't fully verbalise or put my finger on. Not very scientific, I know, but when I get these instinctive feelings there's usually a reason that becomes clear later, so I tend to trust it.

MOO

 

[justtrish]

Suspect has been arrested and charged with Capitol Murder!

RAFAEL GOVEA ROMERO was arrested in Schulenburg, Texas. He's being held in the Jackson County Jail.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[realanastasia]

Man arrested on capital murder charge in death of Edna High School cheerleader, police say

Texas Rangers arrested Rafael Govea Romero in Schulenburg, Texas and charged him with capital murder, according to the Edna Police Department.

www.khou.com