[7] He was arrested two days later after the biggest fugitive hunt in Texas state history. The motion states while prosecutors agreed to have the DNA testing done, they didn't agree that Strickland would be exonerated. Three days later, the bodies of Boone and Turner were discovered, with gunshot wounds being the cause of death. 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. 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. Photos of Mary Kristene Chapa (left) and her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin that were given to people attending a candle light vigil for the girls Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. WebPortland police solved a 40-year-old murder case by matching DNA found at the crime scene with data in a public genealogy site. Committed the July 24, 1979, murder of Anna Marie Hlavka in. Furthermore, when the letter was delivered, Kristenes family saw a black sedan in the area. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their son Eli Garza, 5. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. All rights reserved. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their sonEli Garza, 5. "He couldn't even look at me, which was disappointing, because I wanted him to see what he had done.". In a Nov. 30 motion that was previously sealed, Strickland's attorney Cynthia Orr argues a different man whose DNA was found at thescene and on the surviving victimis actually responsible for the crime. Dateline originally aired an episode on the case in 2017 after a San Patricio County Judge found David Strickland, a Portland, Texas, man, guilty of capital murder. His attorney, Cynthia Orr, told the Caller-Times that the type of DNA testing technology that would be conducted on a piece of pubic hair found on Chapa was not available during the time of Strickland's trial. But she said that it wasn't just her physical state that needed time to recover. He then sexually assaulted and shot them. 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. U.S. More:Court document: David Strickland denied appeal in killing of Mollie Olgin in 2012, More:Defense: New DNA results exonerate man convicted in 2012 double shooting in Portland, More:'Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin' episode about 2012 Portland attack of teens to air, Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. [4][7] The Texas Appeals Court affirmed the conviction and sentence in November 1993. Neighbors described Jennifer Phillips as, in the words of KRIS-TV, the heart of the community, and Eli as a playful soul., [Screengrab of memorial for Jennifer Phillips and Eli Garza at their home via KIII], Have a tip we should know? 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. Vigils were held across the county by the LGBT community, and some suspected the case could be a hate crime. Portland PD says the investigation is ongoing. [16], In 2017, Kristene Chapa filed a lawsuit against David Strickland, his father Larry Joe Strickland, and Taft Pharmacy, the family business, seeking $500 million in damages. The suspected shooter allegedly forced the girls down a steep incline in the quiet bayside park, bound them and shot them in the head. [9], Strickland was not charged with a hate crime because authorities found no evidence to indicate the women were targeted due to their sexuality but were likely random targets. Jason Haas and Veronika Fimbres embrace during a vigil. A search of his belongings also revealed a letter similar to the one received by the Chapa family. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. [15] The appeal was denied in January 2020. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. But he could smile at my family and taunt them," she continued. Strickland was expected to be transferred to a jail in Sinton, outside of Portland, on Saturday, Giles said. Officers described finding a tragic, horrifying murder scene at the home in northeast Portland. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. The type of DNA testing being done uses technology that wasn't available at the time of Strickland's trial. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Police have not identified any suspects or announced any arrests. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. 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. Though he was suspected by police for two years, hewas never charged in the case. Both women were stripped of their clothes and left for dead after being shot execution-style. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. 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. In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. 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. Despite having the sketches, Portland Police, who were investigating the case with help from the Texas Rangers, had no leads until earlier this month. In September 2016, David stood trial for the shooting. 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. 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. Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? His wife faces charges of tampering with evidence. Mollie 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. The city carved $16 million, or 7%, out of its police budget last year. His wife is charged with tampering with evidence. 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. 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. "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. She was found the next day. In July 1987, he was sentenced to death for the murder of 18-year-old Suzanne Harrison, 20-year-old Gena Turner and 19-year-old Bryan Boone. DNA testing was previously pending ona pubichair found on Chapa. Olgin had already died of a gunshot wound to the head, and Chapa was in grave condition but survived to tell about the ordeal. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. "There are still a lot of things that that we cannot release but we're confident that we do have our person.". 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. 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. Strickland's appealis still making it's way through the legal system. The document also requestedthe results of DNA testing conducted ona pubic hair that was found onChapa's body. Paroled in December 1978. 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. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. Olgin, 19, died at the scene. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. 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. Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September 2016. Portland police have not provided details about how Strickland was linked to the case. While Mollie Olgin died, her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, miraculously survived. U.S. ', Garza replied 'just come now'. [8], Shortly before trial, George Koumbis, a local gun store owner and the husband of a defense witness, was murdered in his own store in an apparent robbery-gone-wrong. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. 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. 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. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; They believed that the couple was attacked somewhere around midnight, and the assailant bound and blindfolded the women. 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. While David Strickland was eventually convicted of the murder, evidence at the crime scene initially implicated Dylan Spellman. Convicted in 1979 of aggravated sexual assault for kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. 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. 2023 www.caller.com. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. 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