Portland, Oregons, homicide rate soared a staggering 1,900% in 2021, with 20 killings, compared with one during the first three months of 2020. A resident of a nearby home said that she heard two loud bangs the night of the events, but discounted the sounds as firecrackers. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. ', Garza replied 'just come now'. The suspected shooter allegedly forced the girls down a steep incline in the quiet bayside park, bound them and shot them in the head. The teenagers were shot execution-style and left for dead in a park in Portland, Texas. "I felt powerful, like I took my power back to be able to stand up against him," Chapa said. 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 investigators worked the case, eventually arresting the culprit, David Strickland. Chapa suffered tunnel vision and lost part of her mobility. [17] The complaints against Strickland's father and Taft Pharmacy were later dropped from the lawsuit. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher or the ABC News app. Olgin died from her wounds, but Chapa is currently recovering in a local hospital. The prosecution did not pursue the death penalty, and therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A poster depicting Kristene Chapa and her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin, at the Chapa residence on June 11, 2013 in Corpus Christi, TX. Sister Peggy Ritual and Jason Haas share a moment of silence at a vigil. 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. The Portland Police Department released this sketch July 4, 2012, in the attack on Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa. "I kept waiting. Despite having the sketches, Portland Police, who were investigating the case with help from the Texas Rangers, had no leads until earlier this month. However, at that point, the authorities had another suspect, Dylan Spellman, who was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence. 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. There is still a lot to do in order to prepare the case for prosectuion". So, lets find out what happened to David then, shall we. Roel Garza, 52, allegedly shot and killed wife Jennifer Phillips, 36, and their sonEli Garza, 5. 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. Previously, DNA found on a cigarette butt and energy drink can at the scene both matched to Spellman. Two young women believed to be in a romantic relationship were apparentlyshot by a mysterious assailantin Portland, Texas Friday night. 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. 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. It points out that a jury found "ample evidence" to convict Strickland. 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], Police used GPS to discover that David Strickland's cell phone had been near the Chapa home when the letter had been hand-delivered. Chapa is currently taking college courses while writing a book about her experience. (AP Photo/Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Michael Zamora). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He called 911 on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but he did not reveal much, cops said, according to KIII-TV. A memorial is seen at the corner of Market and Castro Streets during a vigil for Mollie Olgin and Mary Kristene Chapa (pictured). Vigils were held across the county by the LGBT community, and some suspected the case could be a hate crime. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Spellman had been staying with his father's best friend just down the street from the scene of the crime. The investigation is ongoing. U.S. Man and wife jailed in 2-year-old attack on female couple near Corpus Christi, Portland police still seek leads in teen couple shooting. [emailprotected]. 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. She has recovered those abilities but was still recently undergoing physical rehabilitation. 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. Kristene Chapa's girlfriend died from the 2012 attack. "We are confident that we have the person responsible for this horrific crime in custody. 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. The prosecution did not seek the death penalty and Strickland was sentenced to life imprisonment. We know fromMollies parents that they were close, he said. The biological evidence then became a point of contention, seemingly highlighting his potential involvement in the crime. 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. 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. In the last 5 years Portland has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene,[3] whilst Chapa was taken to hospital in critical condition. Kristene Chapa, 19, in her bedroom at the Chapa residence on June 11, 2013 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Portland, Texas couple was found shot in the head on Saturday, June 23. 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. 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. So, lets find out what happened to David then, shall we? Could David Strickland be exonerated in 2012 Portland double shooting? 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Ive been trying to think of anybody I know that would try and hurt them for any reason, Garrett said, and not one person comes to mind.. Strickland had also inserted himself in the original investigation, talking to investigators and being seen at the crime scene just days after the shooting. [12][13], On September 28, 2016, a San Patricio County jury found David Strickland guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. He was also seen talking to people at the crime scene, telling them that his partner, Laura, knew one of the victims. 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. He is now appealing the conviction based on new DNA evidence that his attorneys claim prove he was wrongly convicted. "There are still a lot of things that that we cannot release but we're confident that we do have our person.". Olgin, 19, and Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. Under the police timeline, the father killed his family, made the 911 call and then died by suicide. [11] The charge was dismissed. Convicted in 1979 of aggravated sexual assault for kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint. 2023 www.caller.com. According to police, around 1:30 a.m., a man called 911 and told officers he was distraught and to go to Escondido St. Emailus. 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. The type of DNA testing being done uses technology that wasn't available at the time of Strickland's trial. Olgin died and Chapa continues to recover after the two were shot June 23 at the park. PORTLAND, Texas Portland police confirm a double-homicide suicide took place early Saturday morning. A psychologist also concluded in 2009 that David had hallucinations and suicidal ideations. 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. 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. 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, Texas A husband, wife and their five-year-old son are dead after a murder suicide in the City of Portland, according to police. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage amongst the public, as homophobia initially was suspected to be a motivating factor in the crime. One girl is dead and another in serious condition after a mysterious shooting in a normally peaceful town. 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. DNA evidence was collected from the bodies at this time. I have panic attacks," Chapa said. Mollie, 19, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead on the scene. Carol Christian reports on breaking news for chron.com. In September 2016, David stood trial for the shooting. David Strickland was living in Portland at the time of the shootings and has also lived in Utah and Helotes, police said. Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Chapa, 18, were found shot in the head Saturday in a Portland, Tx park. Corpus Christi police concluded that the robbery was targeted. The two teenagers were found in tall grass on a park overlook in the small town near Corpus Christi, where one of the two victims attended school. The chief described the fathers preliminary actions in general terms. "He's behind bars because of me, so he's watching this right now.". 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. 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. His sentence will automatically be appealed. 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. U.S. McFadden was executed in Texas in October 1999 for the murders of three other women. His sentence will automatically be appealed. Nevertheless, the jury found David, then 30, guilty of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault. A birdwatching couple at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, came across Mollie and Kristenes bodies on the morning of June 23, 2012. Chief Wright said that although the events did seem more like measured attacks than a random action, they were not currently investigating the murder as a hate crime. I do miss it a lot and, like, even being able to pick up my niece and nephews. Vigils for the women are also scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Texas, among other cities. [15] The appeal was denied in January 2020. In August 1986, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the escape. Though he was suspected by police for two years, hewas never charged in the case. [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. McFadden had been convicted of rape three times between 1972 and 1978, but never had to serve his full sentence. In the beginning, the authorities used Kristenes help to create a composite sketch of the attacker. A man murdered his wife and young son, made a cryptic 911 call and died by suicide, according to police in Portland, Texas. 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