TX - Lizbeth Medina, 16, high school cheerleader, found dead in bedroom, murder suspect arrested - Edna, 5 Dec 2023

[IDK]

Looks like he has confessed:


“Boone said he was "100% confident" Romero is the person responsible for Lizbeth's death and added police received a confession from the 23-year-old man after his arrest.”


"He confessed to the crime," Boone said Sunday afternoon.”

“Prior to his arrest, items missing from Lizbeth's apartment were located in Romero's possession, the chief said, which helped authorities find him. “

"We were able, through some of that, to track down his location," Boone said.”

“The chief said officers are investigating if Romero was involved in any other criminal activity since he has been in Texas.”

Man arrested, charged with murder, in connection with Lizbeth Medina's death

The Edna Police Department, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, apprehended 23-year-old Rafael Govea Romero Saturday, said Edna Police Chief Rick Boone in a news release Sunday morning.

www.victoriaadvocate.com

 

[vls12345]

UPDATE: Man arrested, charged with murder, in connection with Lizbeth Medina's death

The Edna Police Department, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, apprehended 23-year-old Rafael Govea Romero Saturday, said Edna Police Chief Rick Boone in a news release Sunday morning.

www.victoriaadvocate.com

Romero is booked on felony 1 murder but the chief said he anticipates that changing to capital murder soon. A $2 million bond was set for Romero but Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also placed a hold on Romero, meaning he is unable to post bond.

"Basically, he is not bondable," Boone said.

The charge of capital murder is often used when a murder takes place in commission with another crime like burglary of a habitation.

[snip]

The chief said officers are investigating if Romero was involved in any other criminal activity since he has been in Texas.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I have found a FB page for the suspect. IS that something that can be posted here?

You can post a link to his social media IF you are 100% sure it's his page (and not someone else with the same name, or a fake page someone else just created for kicks....)

 

[SouthAussie]

“Prior to his arrest, items missing from Lizbeth's apartment were located in Romero's possession, the chief said, which helped authorities find him. “

"We were able, through some of that, to track down his location," Boone said.”

What does that mean? Did he take Lizbeth's phone or smartwatch and they were able to find him by tracking the phone/smartwatch?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I'm curious why he robbed their apartment in particular. Does he rob homes on a regular basis, and theirs just happened to be one of them?

I truly hope he was given his Miranda rights before he allegedly confessed, and there is a watertight case, even without the confession. Whomever is guilty of this murder deserves LWOP.

 

[IDK]

What does that mean? Did he take Lizbeth's phone and they were able to find him by tracking the phone?

That’s what I was thinking? If so, thankfully a very rookie mistake; and I wonder if was hoping to sell it? Or were there communications between the two of them he was trying to hide?

 

[Dotta]

Him being a burglar is a joke.
There is much more to this tragedy IMO

 

[MntnHiker]

Man arrested, charged with murder, in connection with Lizbeth Medina's death

The Edna Police Department, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, apprehended 23-year-old Rafael Govea Romero Saturday, said Edna Police Chief Rick Boone in a news release Sunday morning.

www.victoriaadvocate.com

"As of Sunday afternoon, investigators have no reason to believe Romero had a connection to Lizbeth or her family and the crime was an "isolated incident," the chief said."

 

[alexwood]

Man arrested, charged with murder, in connection with Lizbeth Medina's death

The Edna Police Department, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, apprehended 23-year-old Rafael Govea Romero Saturday, said Edna Police Chief Rick Boone in a news release Sunday morning.

www.victoriaadvocate.com

"As of Sunday afternoon, investigators have no reason to believe Romero had a connection to Lizbeth or her family and the crime was an "isolated incident," the chief said."

Shouldn't that be "crimes" (plural)? Because, prior to Lizbeth's murder, their "unit" had been previously broken into? Returning to the scene of the first crime (the break-in), to commit a second crime -- murder?

[BBM]
"Medina believes her daughter’s death was linked to a recent break-in that occurred at their Cottonwood Apartments unit a couple of weeks ago."

Texas high school cheerleader found dead in her apartment as family believes she was murdered

The gruesome discovery left the mother to believe she was murdered by someone.

nypost.com

 

[justtrish]

Man arrested, charged with murder, in connection with Lizbeth Medina's death

The Edna Police Department, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, apprehended 23-year-old Rafael Govea Romero Saturday, said Edna Police Chief Rick Boone in a news release Sunday morning.

www.victoriaadvocate.com

"As of Sunday afternoon, investigators have no reason to believe Romero had a connection to Lizbeth or her family and the crime was an "isolated incident," the chief said."

This is hard for me to believe in this case. I don't think this was 100% random as in he just decided to do this that day. He had to have seen her prior to the day he did this unless she was outside in her PJs before school and he happened to be in the area and saw her?? How would this man know a young girl was in that apartment if he didn't see her prior to this day at some point? Even if it was just him stalking her or seeing her somewhere, I think it's almost has to be that he knew of her before that day since it was so early in the morning. He didn't follow her home from school or happen to see her if it was that early right?

Unless he had zero idea she was even in the apartment at all and he was breaking in to rob them and then murdered a 16 year old on a whim in the process of robbing the house? I guess that is possible, but what threat does a young girl pose to him at that point? Just run out of the house and leave vs murdering a child.

Then I think of how far his house is from this house and wonder why in the world would he be this far away from home robbing houses at 6-7am??

I feel like he had to have known of her, this house, something before just showing up that early to rob or kill. Maybe they have no relationship connection.. no social media connections, no work, school, etc.. but I do think he saw her before or saw the mom. If he randomly chose that house to rob and just so happen to run into a teenager getting ready for school and decided to kill her I will be really surprised.

 

[Dotta]

This is hard for me to believe in this case. I don't think this was 100% random as in he just decided to do this that day. He had to have seen her prior to the day he did this unless she was outside in her PJs before school and he happened to be in the area and saw her?? How would this man know a young girl was in that apartment if he didn't see her prior to this day at some point? Even if it was just him stalking her or seeing her somewhere, I think it's almost has to be that he knew of her before that day since it was so early in the morning. He didn't follow her home from school or happen to see her if it was that early right?

Unless he had zero idea she was even in the apartment at all and he was breaking in to rob them and then murdered a 16 year old on a whim in the process of robbing the house? I guess that is possible, but what threat does a young girl pose to him at that point? Just run out of the house and leave vs murdering a child.

Then I think of how far his house is from this house and wonder why in the world would he be this far away from home robbing houses at 6-7am??

I feel like he had to have known of her, this house, something before just showing up that early to rob or kill. Maybe they have no relationship connection.. no social media connections, no work, school, etc.. but I do think he saw her before or saw the mom. If he randomly chose that house to rob and just so happen to run into a teenager getting ready for school and decided to kill her I will be really surprised.

I agree.
Burglar and murderer are 2 completely different types.

I rarely heard of burglars turned murderers.

The only exception are sexual perverts/burglars who steal knickers, etc.
Their fixation may turn into rapes or even sexual murders - vide DeAngelo or Paweł Relowicz.

But petty burglars, like pick pockets are "invisible" to residents.

And here we have a guy in full view in CCTV.
And an alleged murderer.

JMO

 

[Sjöberg]

I think he probably had some connection to the house/area. While I don't think Lizbeth knew of him, I feel like he needed some sort of a reason to enter this particular home. I am willing to buy that it could be a different reason (meaning maybe the reason was not Lizbeth, but he, say, saw the mum leave, did not know the daughter existed? saw an apartment with a door unlocked?), but killing a kid during a random robbery is still super odd. We don't know the cause or manner of death, but it really does not look like "meant to silence her, but she died".

 

[Lusitana]

Why would he kill her for a couple of things? Makes no sense.

 

[Dotta]

Remember Orsolya G. case?
Everybody was shocked, no?
Dumbstruck.
Such an unusual pair.
And ended in terrible tragedy.

JMO

 

[Marie A]

First of all, what a relief on several levels that he’s behind bars & has confessed. Kudos to the police detectives and Texas Rangers for their good quick work.

Secondly, I will be amazed if this murder didn’t involve a sexual assault.

….the clear photos of him leaving the crime scene don’t look like he is carrying anything of value.
Crooks sometimes revisit a crime scene after homeowner has had time to replace electronics and easy to sell or pawn items. This isn’t the case here.

Imho this perp targeted a beautiful young girl and saw her mother leave the complex seizing an opportunity.

 

[alexwood]

At 0:40 of the video, "[Romero] was arrested last year on a burglary charge by the Schulenberg Police. In that case, Romero pled 'No Contest'."

 

[MntnHiker]

Shouldn't that be "crimes" (plural)? Because, prior to Lizbeth's murder, their "unit" had been previously broken into? Returning to the scene of the first crime (the break-in), to commit a second crime -- murder?

[BBM]
"Medina believes her daughter’s death was linked to a recent break-in that occurred at their Cottonwood Apartments unit a couple of weeks ago."

Texas high school cheerleader found dead in her apartment as family believes she was murdered

The gruesome discovery left the mother to believe she was murdered by someone.

nypost.com

I was just quoting the article - I know many of us here feel the perp may have committed the break-in attempt a few weeks ago but has LE come out and definitively linked them? Maybe too soon for them to say for sure? I know the perp was caught with belongings of Lizbeth according to this article but he could have taken them when he killed her so maybe they are trying to figure out if the break-in was also him.

 

[MntnHiker]

This is hard for me to believe in this case. I don't think this was 100% random as in he just decided to do this that day. He had to have seen her prior to the day he did this unless she was outside in her PJs before school and he happened to be in the area and saw her?? How would this man know a young girl was in that apartment if he didn't see her prior to this day at some point? Even if it was just him stalking her or seeing her somewhere, I think it's almost has to be that he knew of her before that day since it was so early in the morning. He didn't follow her home from school or happen to see her if it was that early right?

Unless he had zero idea she was even in the apartment at all and he was breaking in to rob them and then murdered a 16 year old on a whim in the process of robbing the house? I guess that is possible, but what threat does a young girl pose to him at that point? Just run out of the house and leave vs murdering a child.

Then I think of how far his house is from this house and wonder why in the world would he be this far away from home robbing houses at 6-7am??

I feel like he had to have known of her, this house, something before just showing up that early to rob or kill. Maybe they have no relationship connection.. no social media connections, no work, school, etc.. but I do think he saw her before or saw the mom. If he randomly chose that house to rob and just so happen to run into a teenager getting ready for school and decided to kill her I will be really surprised.

Yeah I agree with you and posted previously that I feel he might have stalked her. Perhaps the "no connection" wording used in the quote from the article is meant to mean they had no relationship, no obvious link between them. If Lizbeth and her mom had no idea who this guy was and had never seen him before but he saw her once and started stalking her, I could see that being described as no connection in a way. Perhaps no relationship would have been a better way for them to word it.

 

[Sillybilly]

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RACE/SEX/POLITICS/RELIGION BASHING, ETC

Threads or posts promoting or expressing intolerant views toward a particular social group are prohibited. Introducing social justice/injustice issues such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, politics, gun control, capital punishment into a discussion is not allowed.

Thread is about the victim, not about the immigration policies of the United States. Members who introduce politics are subject to 2 Warning Points which remain permanently on the member's Websleuths account.

 

[justtrish]

I was just quoting the article - I know many of us here feel the perp may have committed the break-in attempt a few weeks ago but has LE come out and definitively linked them? Maybe too soon for them to say for sure? I know the perp was caught with belongings of Lizbeth according to this article but he could have taken them when he killed her so maybe they are trying to figure out if the break-in was also him.

What horrible coincidence if the murderer was not the one doing the break in a few weeks ago. The same house being hit twice so close together by different people would be really bad luck. I also wonder if the first crime committed by person A and they told the murderer about whatever it was they stole and/or about who lives there and then person B (murderer) decided to hit the same house thinking it was an easy target. Still doesn't explain going from stealing items to murdering a girl.