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. David remains incarcerated at the William G. McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas. Courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff's Office. 2023 www.caller.com. "We are confident that we have the person responsible for this horrific crime in custody. Family, friends and supporters walk the trail Friday, June 29, 2012 along Violet Andrews Park as they head to the overlook where teens Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa were found shot last weekend in Portland, Texas. He is now appealing the conviction based on new DNA evidence that his attorneys claim prove he was wrongly convicted. A friend said Chapa remembers the night of the shooting. A crowd of over 100 people attend a vigil for Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, at Cal Anderson Park on Friday, June 29, 2012. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. 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. 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. However, at that point, the authorities had another suspect, Dylan Spellman, who was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence. U.S. David Malcolm Strickland, 27, is facing charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated sexual assault in the June 23, 2012, attack. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. When a dispatcher asked 'what's going on there? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Julie Pousson (left) cries during a candle light vigil held for Mollie Judith Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa Friday June 29, 2012 at Woodlawn Lake. A psychologist also concluded in 2009 that David had hallucinations and suicidal ideations. [12][14][15], Attorneys for Strickland filed a motion for his conviction to be overturned based on the newfound DNA evidence, which District Attorney Sam Smith dismissed on an updated episode of Dateline. 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. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. I hope that it gives them some closure knowing that this person is taken off the street, Portland Police Chief Gary Giles said of the victims families and the community. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. And it wont bring Mollie back, she said. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. Marshals, Texas Rangers and the police officers from Portland, where the attack occurred, detained Strickland and his wife, Laura Kimberly, 23. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. A birdwatching couple at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, came across Mollie and Kristenes bodies on the morning of June 23, 2012. [10], David Strickland and his wife Laura Strickland were arrested on June 20, 2014 and held at San Patricio County jail. At the time, David was accused of burglarizing his home, and the evidence collected was turned over to the Portland police. Here's the latest. 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. 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. Friends of the girls have said that Olgin and Chapa began dating five months ago. 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. This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 16:43. His sentence will automatically be appealed. The Portland Police Department released this sketch July 13, 2012, in the attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. Shell casings collected from the crime scene then matched one of Davids firearms. Strickland's lawyers said his DNA was found on several items at the park, including cigarette butts and an energy drink can. Cops found three people dead inside the childs bedroom: Jennifer Phillips, Eli Garza and the perpetrator Roel Garza. [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. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. 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. They said incidents like this are rare, with the last being five years ago. A new Dateline NBC episode that aired in Decembertook another look at the sexual assaultand shooting of two South Texas women nearly a decade ago. Then, he took it back. Jess and Jules Diliberto embrace during a vigil. Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. Orr and prosecutors with the San Patricio County District Attorney's officecould not immediately be reached for comment. Olgin died at the scene and Chapa is in stable condition in the hospital. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban, Kevin Porter Jr. return can't end Rockets' growing losing streak, W&P Porter bowl review: A container that makes office lunch easy, A new musical spotlights a Texas bank-robbing legend. (PHOTOS: Teens in America: Class Pictures). 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. 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. Convicted in 1979 of aggravated sexual assault for kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? December 17, 2021 In June 2012, a young teenage couple was found shot in a park in Portland, Texas. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio.[1]. However, the authorities learned that he used to be friends with David before things fell apart. 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. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. 5-year-old dead after double homicide-suicide in Portland. Chapa, now 27, survived. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. As the investigation carried on, there was a break in the case in June 2014 when Kristenes father received an anonymous letter in the mail. 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. Report: Houston is the No. Seven years after her girlfriend was killed and she was seriously injured in a brutal attack, Kristene Chapa spoke openly to "The View" about testifying against her attacker. Ammunition found in his possession was identified as the same ammunition used in the killings of Boone and Turner. Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? 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. 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. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. Portland PD says the investigation is ongoing. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and an unconscious Chapa was taken to a local hospital where she eventually regained consciousness. More:Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? Three days later, the bodies of Boone and Turner were discovered, with gunshot wounds being the cause of death. [17] The complaints against Strickland's father and Taft Pharmacy were later dropped from the lawsuit. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. After two hours of being interviewed by Portland police and Texas Rangers, Strickland confessed. Police have not identified any suspects or announced any arrests. It is one day before the two-year anniversary. 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. Dispatch attempted to get more information from him, police said. The investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. 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. 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. In May, Strickland'sattorneyCynthia Orr,Fort Worth lawyer Michael Logan Ware and Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project signed afiling for a proposed order requestingaccess to physical evidence, records and results ofDNA testing, hair and trace evidence, jail phone calls andrecorded interviews of the other man. On Jan. 31, police announced that Jerry Walter McFadden of Texas had killed Anna Marie Hlavka in Portland on Jan. 24, 1979. 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. Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. December 17, 2021 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. Received a 911 call from a distraught male who was advising that he needed law enforcement assistance, Portland Police Chief Mark Cory told reporters. 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. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. 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. 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. Authorities said last year they didnt believe the attack was a hate crime, but they hadnt established a motive. Sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1973 for two counts of rape. "There are still a lot of things that that we cannot release but we're confident that we do have our person.". His sentence will automatically be appealed. 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. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. Chapa attributed a large part of her recovery to her family, especially her mother Grace Chapa, who stayed with her in a physical rehabilitation center for three-and-a-half months. Since joining the Houston Chronicle staff in 1998, she has covered various beats, including criminal courts and transportation. McFadden raped and strangled Harrison and dumped her body in a park about 25 miles (40km) from Lake Hawkins. We've been working very hard to make sure we get him as soon as possible. According to police, around 1:30 a.m., a man called 911 and told officers he was distraught and to go to Escondido St. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. U.S. 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. The gunshot initially left Chapa unable to sit or stand, with the bullet piercing the part of her brain controlling movements on her left side. The chief described the fathers preliminary actions in general terms. DNA evidence was collected from the bodies at this time. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe. [9], Layton Police investigating the burglary had discovered evidence in Strickland's car including two guns, ammunition, a suppressor, gloves and a backpack containing condoms, flex handcuffs, bolt cutters, a knife and other items. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora). In the last 5 years Portland has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. "Not only was his DNA found on objects left at the crime scene, but a lab report now undeniably shows that the hair pulled from Kristine Chapas body is in fact (the man's) hair," the November motion states. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; [9] A draft of the letter to the Chapa family was found on Strickland's computer. WebAMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Police say a Texas mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 2-month-old baby, KFDA reports. Portland, OR 97006 (503) 906-1249; The document also requestedthe results of DNA testing conducted ona pubic hair that was found onChapa's body. "Once we have a warrant, we start doing everything on our end to find the person as quickly as possible," Bozeman said. 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. He was arrested on 6 May, after a police report from a couple he had attacked by the lake on the day of the murder. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. U.S. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, local media reported. His wife is charged with tampering with evidence. Sister Peggy Ritual and Jason Haas share a moment of silence at a vigil. 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