The mom of slain 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina, who was allegedly murdered by an unlawful immigrant from Mexico in December 2023, says the suspect’s request for an madness analysis solely “provides to the ache.”
Rafael Govea Romero, 25, is charged with capital homicide after Lizbeth was discovered useless with stab wounds on Dec. 5, 2023, within the lavatory of the Edna, Texas, condominium she shared together with her mom.
“I broke down. I utterly broke down,” Jacqueline Medina, Lizbeth’s mom, advised Fox Information Digital of her response to seeing his request for an madness check, as native newspaper The Victoria Advocate first reported.
“For me, there’s sufficient proof that’s clearly figuring out the very fact… he knew what he was doing,” Medina stated. “One of many law enforcement officials stated he appeared to be skilled.”
Medina had left their condominium for work early on Dec. 5, 2023. Her daughter sometimes left for varsity shortly afterward, however that day she didn’t make it to highschool or the Christmas parade that her cheer staff was speculated to be training for.
Medina returned house that night after nobody had heard from or seen Lizbeth and located her useless within the bathtub of their condominium.
Edna police arrested Romero in Schulenburg, Texas, 5 days after Lizbeth’s dying.
The homicide suspect was reportedly on probation for a 2022 housebreaking in Schulenburg, about 60 miles from Edna, the Fayette County Document first reported.
Edna police stated Romero can also be tied to a housebreaking that occurred at Lizbeth’s house a few month earlier than her killing.
“The madness plea simply provides to the ache and to the harm that we’re already going by way of,” Medina stated. “And I used to be wanting ahead to this trial, and now it’s being pushed again.”
Romero was initially scheduled to face trial in December, but it surely has been rescheduled for February, and Medina stated she will not be receiving updates from the court docket relating to developments within the case.
“All I need… all I’m begging for is justice for my daughter. That’s all I need. And the truth that this case will likely be pushed again and pushed again – it hurts me as a result of I ask myself: Did my daughter get that probability? Did she get that probability? Did he give her that mercy? Or that probability to dwell?” Medina stated. “She had the appropriate to dwell. She had the appropriate to be protected in her house.”
Medina stated she is eagerly awaiting solutions in her daughter’s case, together with why a choose beforehand launched Romero on parole in his prior housebreaking case.
Neither Medina nor Lizbeth knew Romero, however Medina famous that their home had been burglarized on Nov. 13, a few month earlier than {the teenager}’s homicide.
Edna law enforcement officials consider Romero might have been concerned within the housebreaking and should have stalked Lizbeth earlier than allegedly attacking and killing her.
The grieving mom additionally stated she stands with others who’ve misplaced their youngsters to unlawful immigrant suspects this yr, together with the household of Laken Riley.
The suspect in Riley’s homicide, Jose Ibarra, of Venezuela, was convicted on 10 counts and sentenced to life in jail with out the potential of parole on Nov. 13.
Lizbeth, Riley, Rachel Morin of Maryland, Jocelyn Nungaray of Texas, Ruby Garcia of Michigan and Maria Gonzalez of Texas are ladies and women allegedly killed by unlawful immigrants over the previous two years.
“I stand with all of the moms and dads who’re going by way of this like and Riley’s household and Jocelyn Nungaray’s household – all of them,” Medina stated. “We’re all united by the identical tragedies. I’ve just lately seen Laken Riley’s end result. And like I stated, they’ll by no means get to have her again. However that would have been prevented. [The] Biden and the Harris administration failed us utterly, and now I’m dropping hope.”
Romero’s protection staff additionally filed a movement to suppress sure proof, arguing Edna Police Division officers searched and detained Romero with out cheap suspicion, and so they searched his condominium with out consent from the suspect, the Advocate reported.
The suspect’s protection lawyer, Ross Reifel, didn’t instantly reply to an inquiry from Fox Information Digital. Romero is at present being held on $2 million bond in Jackson County.
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