Chapa, now 20, had gone with Olgin that Friday night to Violet Andrews Park in Portland outside Corpus Christi to see where her girlfriend had been baptized. And it wont bring Mollie back, she said. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. "Once we have a warrant, we start doing everything on our end to find the person as quickly as possible," Bozeman said. [6], In 2018, advances in testing technology allowed for DNA identification of a hair found on Chapa's body. He is facing charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated sexual assault in the June 23, 2012, attack on Mollie Olgin, 19, who died in the shooting in Portland on the Corpus Christi Bay. 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. The chief described the mother as struck multiple times in the head., We had four officers on scene, and it was rough on them, Cory said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The chief described the fathers preliminary actions in general terms. Vigils for the women are also scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Texas, among other cities. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. First responders discovered Mollie Olgin and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora), A crime scene investigator takes pictures of an evidence marker near some playground equipment Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. When questioned about the letter, the Layton man noted a photo of him included in the letter had been taken by Strickland's wife Laura. 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. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. Its a difficult situation when you walk in on a welfare check and then you discover three deceased bodies, and especially ones a child.. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. "He couldn't even look at me, which was disappointing, because I wanted him to see what he had done.". He is charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. There were some measures taken by the suspect Mr. Garza earlier in the evening in preparatory of this double homicide, Cory told reporters, according to KRIS-TV. [12][13], On September 28, 2016, a San Patricio County jury found David Strickland guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for the two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. U.S. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. These items were turned over to investigators in the Olgin case. 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. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. Marshals, Texas Rangers and the police officers from Portland, where the attack occurred, detained Strickland and his wife, Laura Kimberly, 23. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. 2023 www.caller.com. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The prosecution did not seek the death penalty and Strickland was sentenced to life imprisonment. I want to have my independence back.". The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. Nearly two years after a teenager and her girlfriend were both shot in the head on a grassy hillside in South Texas, killing one of them and leaving the other with serious injuries, authorities have arrested a man in the attack. Sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1973 for two counts of rape. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe, After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers. Shell casings collected from the crime scene then matched one of Davids firearms. His sentence will automatically be appealed. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. Mollie Judith Olgin, a 19 year old student at Texas A&M, was declared dead; Mary Christine Chapa, 18, was taken to a nearby hospital where she is said to be in serious but stable condition. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. In September 2016, David stood trial for the shooting. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe. The following morning, a couple discovered the bodies of the two women in knee-high grass near a scenic lookout in the park, police said. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. 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. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; [3], Other evidence included in the arrest warrant included the fact that a gun in Strickland's possession was matched to bullet casings at the crime scene. 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. 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. DNA evidence was collected from the bodies at this time. Committed the July 24, 1979, murder of Anna Marie Hlavka in. Roel Garza did not have a history of violence before the murder-suicide, cops said. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? In the days after the attack, police said the women were known to be in a dating relationship but there was no evidence that the attack was motivated by their sexual orientation. Police Chief Randy Wright says there's no evidence that the attack was motivated by their relationship. Spellman had been staying with his father's best friend just down the street from the scene of the crime. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. PORTLAND, Texas A husband, wife and their five-year-old son are dead after a murder suicide in the City of Portland, according to police. 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. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. 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. "My body will never be 100% again. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night, June 22, 2012, that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. 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. Although a bullet casing was found on the scene, no weapon has been discovered and there are currently no suspects in the shooting. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. Olgin died and Chapa continues to recover after the two were shot June 23 at the park. Strickland told investigators he composed the letter two weeks before his arrest and printed it out at a public library computer. Both women were stripped of their clothes and left for dead after being shot execution-style. Teen lesbian couple found shot in Texas park, A Visual History of the Gay-Rights Movement, 13-Year-Old Girl Finds Porn On New Cell Phone, These Are North Koreas 28 State-Approved Hairstyles, Mountain Dews Dub the Dew Online Poll Goes Horribly Wrong. [1], David Malcolm Strickland was convicted of the crime in 2014. 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. Police say Garza did not have any prior history of violence. 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. His sentence will automatically be appealed. Chapa, now 27, survived. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. 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. Courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff's Office. His sentence will automatically be appealed. 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. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Gerald "Jerry" Walter McFadden (March 21, 1948 October 14, 1999), known as The Animal, was an American serial killer and sex offender who was executed in 1999.[6]. 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. Mollie, 19, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead on the scene. Wright said that police were operating on the assumption that the two girls were dating based on of information from family and friends. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; The episode can be streamed on the NBC app or online atwww.nbcnews.com/dateline. Kristene Chapa, left, accompanied by her mother Grace Chapa, opened up about a 2012 attack in Texas that killed her girlfriend on "The View," Oct. 29, 2019. Report: Houston is the No. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday, Oops! PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Gay rights groups have called for a thorough police investigation into the fatal shooting of a teenage woman and wounding of her girlfriend in the park. 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 2019 Portland crime rate fell by 29% compared to 2018. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. The crime went unsolved for about two years before police shifted their focus to Stickland in 2014 after learning about a letter addressed to Chapa's father written from the perspective of a hitman. People write messages of support on a banner during a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. This evidence included .45-caliber firearms, handcuffs, ammunition, a lock pick kit, bolt cutters, and other suspicious items. Additionally, a firearms expert at the Texas Department of Public Safety testified that the bullet casing at the scene likely matched Strickland's handgun. Portland police say they don't know the motive for the shooting Friday night that killed 19-year-old Mollie Olgin and wounded 18-year-old Mary Kristene Chapa in Violet Andrews Park. "There were some measures taken by the suspect Mr. Garza earlier in the evening in preparatory of this double homicide," said Cheif Cory. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. 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. December 17, 2021 In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. [10], Laura Strickland was charged with tampering with evidence. The women had been sexually assaulted and shot in the head around midnight the previous evening. 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. Jason Haas and Veronika Fimbres embrace during a vigil. A birdwatching couple at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, came across Mollie and Kristenes bodies on the morning of June 23, 2012. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; David Malcolm Strickland, 27, was arrested Friday by U.S. In 2019, one of Strickland's attorneys said a man from Nevada, whose DNA was found at the scene, was actually responsible for the crime. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Strickland's appealis still making it's way through the legal system. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. The incident was premeditated. The motion also states the evidence presented at trial is "insufficient to sustain Strickland's conviction. Emailus. Gay rights groups have called for a thorough police investigation into the fatal shooting of a teenage woman and wounding of her girlfriend in the park. "GLAAD: Supporters rally and call for #justice4krisandmollie", "Texas Lesbian Couple: Survivor Remembers Night of Shooting", "Two Years Later, Arrests Have Finally Been Made in the Corpus Christi Shooting of A Teenage Lesbian Couple", "Same-Sex Teen Couple Shot: Texas Rangers investigating shooting of Mollie Olgin and Mary Chapa", "Brother of lesbian teen shot in head: She's 'fighting', "Verdict reached 4 years after deadly attack on TX lesbian teen couple", "Same-Sex Teen Couple Shooting: New sketch of suspect released in Texas attack", "Couple who found victims at Portland park testify", "Arrest Affidavit Details Link Between David Strickland, Portland Shootings", "accused-killer-in-portland-shooting-falsely-confessed-expert-says", "jury-watches-video-of-shooting-survivors-photo-lineup", "Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012", "Shooting survivor Kristene Chapa files $500 million lawsuit", "Texas attack survivor's multimillion-dollar lawsuit against David Strickland gets pre-trial hearing", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Mollie_Olgin&oldid=1133689494, Violence against LGBT people in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 01:52. In June 2012, Mollie Olgin and her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, were bound, sexually assaulted and shot in the head at Violet Andrews Park in Portland before their bodies were found by bird watchers. In the last 5 years Portland has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. [10], David Strickland and his wife Laura Strickland were arrested on June 20, 2014 and held at San Patricio County jail. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. Received a 911 call from a distraught male who was advising that he needed law enforcement assistance, Portland Police Chief Mark Cory told reporters. Members and supporters of the gay community held a vigil on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif., at the corner of Castro and Market Streets for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa, two lesbian teens who were shot on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. Corpus Christi police concluded that the robbery was targeted. 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