Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities. He ruled out accidental causes for the reason for the fire and concluded that the fire was set on purpose. Clarence Mallory Jr. and Carter Cervantez are accused of murdering Ashlea Harris after she left her job late at night at a mall in Fort Worth. Cervantez claims that Mallory dug the grave for her. 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. For that reason, the fire seemed like an afterthought to me, Fort Worth Police Detective Ernie Pate told Snapped.. They discovered that on Thanksgiving Day, she went to dinner withher friendAlexis Torres and other friends at an apartment inside her complex. At Clarence's Trial, he claimed that he was not involved in Ashlea's murder but the Jury also did not believe him and he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ashlea immediately contacted loss prevention, Chris Cravey, and the district manager. Her body was partially burned and she had been beaten. In looking at a police department database, Cedillo found that Cervantez and her boyfriend, Clarence Mallory had been suspects in an August 24, 2014 theft at America Eagle. Though Mallory was arrested for driving without a license, he was also released from custody. | Privacy Statement. At that point, the firefighters had arrived. The Black Infiniti G35 was searched by Officer J.J. He continued to lie in bed wondering what was going on in his upstairs neighbors apartment (Ashleas apartment). Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape, reports CBS affiliate KHOU, which cites court documents filed by Fort Worth police. Update: A correction was. It showed Cervantez buying two shovels, a rope, bungee cords, gloves, and a tarp. He was also a former employee at the same American Eagle store where Ashlea worked and he was Carter's boyfriend. He was arrested for not having his driver's license on him. Police spoke to him. Cedillo went to the American Eagle store where Harris' boss was waiting for the owners to open up. Police have charged Carter Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of Ashlea Harris, 31. Harris was an assistant manager at the store. 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. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. They were arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the Reuters news service. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. After missing several shifts, he was fired and barred from working at other American Eagle stores. 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. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. Police found burn marks on her body and she had been strangled and her throat wasslit. I think theres a fire upstairs in the apartment above me, the caller said in his 911 call, which was obtained by Snapped.. The couple bound Harris, brutally beat her and burned her body and apartment building in order to take the woman's store keys and steal $50,000. The Prosecution called Jeff Kayser to testify. On November 29th search warrants were obtained for Cervantez and Mallorys apartment, the black Infinity, and Mallorys Cadillac. Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, testified that she was asleep at the time of the murder of Ashlea Harris and was forced into the robbery by her boyfriend, 21-year-old Clarence David Mallory, the Fort. The key opened the dressing room and storage closet at Hulen Mall American Eagle. Fired One week later Cravey called Cervantez. This Record may not reflect actual, complete, or up-to-date data. Combined Opinion from 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. Harris' hands and feet were bound in duct tape,. Chris looked at Clarence'spersonnel fileanddiscovered thatwhen Carterhired him, she changed his Social Security number and his name in the system so that it would not be detected or show up any red flags. She said that she did not. She was sentenced / adjudicated in Runnels County, Winters. a plastic tub that contained bungee cords and arope. On December 4, arrest warrants were executed, and David was arrested at a private residence in Amarillo on December 5. The perpetrators had stolen Ashleas store keys and were allegedly planning to break into the store again and steal more money. Another apartment in the complex was on fire. FORT WORTH, Texas -- A woman whose burned body was found in her Fort Worth apartment Thanksgiving weekend had been strangled and beaten, allegedly by former co-workers, according to court documents. Prosecutors also showed evidence that Cervantez and Mallory were planning to rob the American Eagle in Abilene (where they had previously worked). He was able to determine that the fire had multiple points of origin. Carter was a former employee at the American Eagle store where Ashlea worked but she was fired in August. Jeff Kayser to testify. Police have charged Carter Carol Cervantez, 25, and her boyfriend Clarence "David" Mallory, 19, with capital murder in the death of their former co-worker, Ashlea Harris, 31. She stole Ashleas keys to commit another theft with an even bigger payoff. I mean, my knees gave out. Cravey indicated that he did. The keyring also had the front gate key and store key on them. Clarence David Mallory, 22, would meet a similar fate in August 2017. 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. There was a cut on the right side of Ashlea's neck which was caused by a knife and bruises and abrasions on her neck, chest and right arm. It is the13th largest city in the US. During a break in questioning, Cervantes was given a bottle of water and left alone in the interrogation room. Another video from Texas Appliances on the north side of the mall captures Cervantez walking away from the mall towards her apartment. Prosecutors showed video surveillance from Home Depot a week before Ashlea Harris was murdered. In addition, we got Ashleas DNA on this gun that was in Carter Cervantes car, said Kevin Rousseau. Cervantez alleges that she did not commit the murder and was asleep in her apartment when Harris was robbed and killed. Harris was found dead in her apartment several hours later when firefighters responded to a fire alarm. So he laid back down to try to fall back asleep, but thats when the carbon monoxide detector went off. Both are held on a $100,000 bond. The surveillance video from the front of the American Eagle store showed that at around 2amonthe 29th of November, someone with a covered face knelt down next to the lock on the gate and attempted to unlock and raise the gate.They were unsuccessful as the locks had been changed. Prosecutors laid out a case that Cervantez wanted revenge and payback for getting fired. Firefighters found her strangled and burned body early in the morning on Nov. 28. If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. 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. Aloaded Glock 19 with a bullet in the chamber was found under the driver's seat. Following Harris murder, the locks had been changed and the Black Friday proceeds were still inside. Detective Jerry Cedillo with the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Unit arrived at 10:22 am. Police tracked Cervantes and Mallory to an apartment near the Hulen Mall. Wallace E. Hood Jr., an arson investigator, told the Court thathe locatedmultiple origins of the fire, including in the bed, on Ashleas body, and in the closet. The investigation revealed that the fire was not accidental and that rubbing alcohol had been poured in different areasthroughout the apartment including on Ashlea's bed. Posted on May 27, 2016. Police could not find Carter inside the mall even though they saw Clarence drop her off at the door. Their cases were heard separately but the Prosecution case was almost the same for both with the exception that they believed Carter was the mastermind behind the crime. He identified it as a black Infiniti G35. Read More: Ashlea Harris Murder: How Did She Die? BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Im so sorry I forgot. Carter Carol Cervantez is on trial this week on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Ashlea Ann Harris, 31, on Nov. 28, 2014, the day after Thanksgiving, known commercially as Black Friday. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? By The couple were arrested this weekend Cervantez in Fort Worth and Mallory in Amarillo on warrants accusing them of capital murder for Harris's slaying and theft $1,500 to $20,000 for the. In reviewing the malls video surveillance Detective Cedillo saw Cervantez enter the mall wearing the same clothing he had seen her leave her apartment in. 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 . Carter Carol Cervantez, 27, enters court Tuesday, May 17, 2016, with defense attorneys Steve Gordon, right, and Bill Ray, not pictured. There was a scrape and lacerations of her lip, a scrape on her chin and a star-shaped laceration with a surrounding bruise behind her left earwhich the medical examiner was caused by being struck by the pistol. He moved to Ft. Worth and reunited with Carter, who allegedly falsified his social security number to cheat the system and get him employment at the Ft. Worth store.