Rafael Romero illegal immigrant charged in stabbing death of Lizbeth Medina, Edna Texas high school cheerleader. No known motive.
A Texas high school cheerleader found stabbed to death at an Edna apartment she shared with her mother was murdered at the hands of an undocumented immigrant living in the US on an expired visa, police said.
Rafael Govea Romero, 23, was arrested Saturday on a capital murder charge in the killing of the 16-year-old Edna High School student Lizbeth Medina last week.
Romero’s bond has been set by a magistrate at $2 million, KHOU reported.
Evidence found in suspect’s vehicle linked him to crime scene
Police and Texas Rangers acting on a tip went to Romero’s family home in the small town of Schulenburg, about 95 miles west of Houston, and took him into custody.
Detectives seized evidence from Romero’s silver Ford Taurus that they claimed linked him to Medina’s killing, KTRK reported. Police didn’t say what the evidence was.
To date cops declined to say what led up to the fatal stabbing, nor whether Romero and Medina knew each other.
Edna Police Chief Rick Boone said Romero has been in the US illegally after overstaying their visa. His family has reportedly lived in Schulenburg for about five years.
Romero has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because of his undocumented status, according to the Edna police.
‘I want justice!’
Medina was found dead in her bathtub on Dec. 5 by her mother, Jacqueline Medina, who became alarmed when her daughter failed to show up for Edna’s annual Christmas parade, where she was supposed to march with her cheer squad.
‘My daughter was found in a way that no mother should ever find their child,’ Medina previously told KHOU. ‘Someone hurt my child, someone took my child from me.’
The mom said that a few weeks earlier, someone had broken into their home at the Cottonwood Apartments, and she wondered if the same intruder may have tried to succeed with another heist only to be caught in the act by Lizbeth.
Police released surveillance video of the suspect, who was seen wearing a black Volcom sweatshirt and had a distinctive tattoo behind his right ear.
Lizbeth was honored before her school’s football game Thursday night, where her fellow cheerleaders and family members wore purple — the teenager’s favorite color.
‘My head is just spinning everywhere, and I just want answers, I want justice,’ Jacqueline Medina told media.
The mom described her daughter as ‘bubbly’ and ‘happy.’
‘We grew up together. I had her when I was only 16,’ Medina said. ‘It was just her and I against the world, and they took her from me.’
Edna is about 100 miles southwest of Houston.
