"I felt powerful, like I took my power back to be able to stand up against him," Chapa said. We need time to let it sink and just process the news we've waited on for 2 years. Thats always something that were looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack, Wright said. Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. (PHOTOS: Teens in America: Class Pictures). William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. 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. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparently shot by a mysterious assailant in Portland, Texas Friday night. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Chapa, now 27, survived. Garza shot both Phillips and Eli twice, Cory said. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. I cant find her. "All my supporters; they've been there. In September 2016, David stood trial for the shooting. Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Marshals, Texas Rangers and the police officers from Portland, where the attack occurred, detained Strickland and his wife, Laura Kimberly, 23. Then, he took it back. Once investigators issued arrest warrants for the Stricklands, they asked the U.S. 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. Under the police timeline, the father killed his family, made the 911 call and then died by suicide. ', Garza replied 'just come now'. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. Here's the latest. Crimes scene investigators take evidence back to their vans Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas. [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. In the last 5 years Portland has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. Later on, David even confessed to the crime, saying he attacked Mollie and Kristene because they were mean to his wife, who was a server at a restaurant. IE 11 is not supported. They believed that the couple was attacked somewhere around midnight, and the assailant bound and blindfolded the women. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. "We are confident that we have the person responsible for this horrific crime in custody. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene,[3] whilst Chapa was taken to hospital in critical condition. 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. Portland police released two composite sketches of the male shooter, based upon information from Chapa as she recuperated. Jason Haas and Veronika Fimbres embrace during a vigil. An expert witness for the defense testified that the confession was false because David was repeatedly told his wife would be charged if he didnt confess. Photo: Portland Police Department. People run under a giant rainbow flag after a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. WebCrime rate in Portland, TX The 2019 crime rate in Portland, TX is 110 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 2.4 times lower than the U.S. average. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. About 50 people attended a candle light vigil held for Mollie Judith Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. Despite having the sketches, Portland Police, who were investigating the case with help from the Texas Rangers, had no leads until earlier this month. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. One girl is dead and another in serious condition after a mysterious shooting in a normally peaceful town. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. William Davis, who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, was convicted of capital murder on Oct. 19. David Strickland was charged with capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault. After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers, Strickland confessed. Thanks everyone for the texts, messages, and calls but my family and I are just kinda in shock and just shook up, Chapa wrote on Facebook after the arrest was made. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. The front door was open, according to the official version of events in the KIII report. She was found the next day. They said incidents like this are rare, with the last being five years ago. [7] He was arrested two days later after the biggest fugitive hunt in Texas state history. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; Its a difficult situation when you walk in on a welfare check and then you discover three deceased bodies, and especially ones a child.. 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. Olgin, 19, and Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher or the ABC News app. Almost exactly two years earlier, on June 22, 2012, Mollie Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, who was then 18, were found in a birdwatching area at Violet Andrews Park in Portland near Corpus Christi. The document also requestedthe results of DNA testing conducted ona pubic hair that was found onChapa's body. Man and wife jailed in 2-year-old attack on female couple near Corpus Christi, Portland police still seek leads in teen couple shooting. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. KRIS 6 News obtained the almost 20 second audio clip of the police call to Portland PD, but some of it was inaudible. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. [10], Laura Strickland was charged with tampering with evidence. More:Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? More: David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Sign up to have news emailed to you daily, David Strickland's attorney: Impending DNA testing will clear him of Portland Park murder, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Though he was suspected by police for two years, hewas never charged in the case. It is one day before the two-year anniversary. Chapa was also sexually assaulted. Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head last Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. "Once we have a warrant, we start doing everything on our end to find the person as quickly as possible," Bozeman said. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and an unconscious Chapa was taken to a local hospital where she eventually regained consciousness. His wife is charged with tampering with evidence. The letter also included a picture of the accused man along with the words, I was told to deliver this or die. It was higher than in 44.6% U.S. cities. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. Chapa spoke on Tuesday to "The View's" co-hosts including Sunny Hostin, host of the show "Truth About Murder," who revisits the investigation with Chapa about the attack, her miraculous recovery and testifying during Strickland's trial. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. [8] In October 1999, he was executed in the Huntsville Unit by lethal injection. Portland, a small town of 16,000 just north of Corpus Christi, is not known for crime and has not seen a homicide in two years. [17] The complaints against Strickland's father and Taft Pharmacy were later dropped from the lawsuit. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. [12][13], On September 28, 2016, a San Patricio County jury found David Strickland guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. Additionally, a firearms expert at the Texas Department of Public Safety testified that the bullet casing at the scene likely matched Strickland's handgun. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. Its apparent in the investigation that once the suspect Mr. Garza made the call to the police department, he committed suicide in the bedroom where the wife and child had already been killed, Cory said. Portland police have not provided details about how Strickland was linked to the case. 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. His sentence will automatically be appealed. The incident was premeditated. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force for help in finding and apprehending the couple. The chief described the fathers preliminary actions in general terms. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. U.S. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. Just come now, Roel Garza said in 911 audio obtained by KRIS-TV. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; Eyewitnesses also placed Spellman at Violet Andrews Park both before and after the crime. Olgin's girlfriend, Kristene Chapa, then 18, survived. 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. 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. 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. Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. 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. However, the authorities learned that he used to be friends with David before things fell apart. 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. [3] There were several witnesses who had seen McFadden close to the scene of the crime on the day of the killings. 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. 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. 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. It was written from the perspective of a hitman who claimed that someone from Layton, Utah, was responsible for the attacks and had wanted Kristene dead. 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