Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, were beaten, raped, and strangled in Houston, Texas by 6 gang members of the “Black and Whites”.
They were convicted in their murders, and each received varying sentences ranging from life to the death penalty.
On June 24, 1993, after attending a pool party, Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena headed to Pena’s home in the Oak Forest, Houston.
They took a shortcut, which followed the railroad tracks before cutting through T.C. Jester Park.
On their way, they bumped into the Black and Whites members Peter Cantu, Efrain Perez, Derrick O’Brien, Jose Medellin, and Ramon Sandoval.
Jose Medellin,18, approached the teen girls, but they were not interested. Medellin reached out and grabbed Pena’s breast.
When she tried to get away, he grabbed her by her throat and threw her down. Ertman attempted to aid her friend. She was also thrown to the ground. Each gang member raped Ertman and Pena.
When they finished their attack, they took them into the woods.
They beat and kicked them. Cantu kicked Pena in the face with steel-toed boots and knocked out 3 of her teeth.
O’Brien’s belt was used to strangle Ertman. They each took turns stomping on the girls’ necks until they were sure they were dead.
When the teens did not get to Pena’s home, the police were contacted, and the missing person’s reports were filed for both girls.
The next night, the group went to Cantu’s house; he lived with his brother Joe and sister-in-law, Christina.
The group bragged about their crimes. Joe called the crimestoppers line and told them what he heard.
Joe explained exactly where to find the girls. Police discovered the bodies of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena in T.C. Jester Park, four days after their death.
All of the members were arrested. Cantu and O’Brian were sentenced to death. Medellin was convicted of capital murder.
He was executed on August 5, 2008. Perez and Villarreal were convicted of capital murder and both were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Venancio Medellin was convicted of aggravated sexual assault for his attack on Jennifer Ertman. A judge gave him the maximum juvenile 40-year sentence.
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