EDNA, TX - New information has been released in connection to the stabbing murder of 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina. Law Enforcement Today previously reported that illegal immigrant, Rafael Govea Romero, had gone into Medina’s home and stabbed her to death in her bathtub, where she was later found by her mother, Jacqueline Medina.
Lizbeth’s family had stated that they’d never seen or heard of Romero, and were unsure how the incident had unfolded. It’s now been determined that Romero was stalking Lizbeth. In addition, he stole her phone after killing her, and was responding to people’s text messages, even on the day of her candlelight vigil.
Romero was caught because her friend sent her a “beautiful message” of goodbye, to which he responded. Lizbeth’s boyfriend then sent a message, and Romero replied to that as well. The two told Jacqueline, who told the police.
Police tracked the phone via geolocation to Schulenburg, Texas, where Romero was found, with the phone, and arrested.
Police said that the Medina apartment was burglarized approximately three weeks prior to her murder, on November 13. She was found dead on December 5.
Jacqueline said that the two had noticed that “little things” had gone missing prior to the burglary, but they reported the incident on November 13 because some “larger items” were missing.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Jacqueline said, "After this person was caught and [police] found those specific things that were missing, that's when I knew it was connected.”
In the affidavit for Romero’s arrest, Edna Police wrote, "While processing the scene, it was discovered Lizbeth had multiple stab wounds, and her clothing was soaking wet, leading us to believe Lizbeth's homicide was a criminal homicide (murder) and that her body had been washed after the murder.
"I believe the burglary from 11/13/2023 could have a connection with the murder suspect. I believed the suspect of this murder was at large and a present danger to the community. I was especially concerned that the person believed to be the murder suspect was texting other high school students, leading me to believe the suspect was targeting students.”
"More than anything,” Jacqueline said, “I want something good to come out of this tragedy. I want to find a way that we can make better laws because, as you know, this person shouldn't have even been here. If protocols were followed, he probably shouldn't have even been in the country. So, I definitely want something good to come out of this in my daughter's name. No matter how long it takes.
"I'm so thankful to the police department. … There were a lot of people involved, and I'm thankful to the community who helped as well. But it was the quick moves of the police department. They got an emergency disclosure for the geolocation for that phone and were able to track this person."
Jacqueline said that Lizbeth, her only daughter, was her “mission in life.” With her gone, her new mission is to obtain justice for her death.
Apparently, there have been negative rumors floating around about Lizbeth and Romero. Jacqueline responded to those, saying, "There are so many lies being put out in the media. And I don't care at this point if they talk about me. I just want my daughter's memory alive. … She's not here to defend herself. She's not here to say, ‘I didn’t know this person. This person was a stranger.' And for these people that are heartless and speaking on my daughter's name, that's disgusting.
"I just want everybody to know that that was an amazing child. She wasn't a normal teenager getting in trouble for doing crazy stuff. She was very mature for her age. She was a caring and loving person who, as far as I know and from the messages I received, she changed a lot of people's lives. I just want everybody to remember her that way and not the way that she was taken from me."
Lizbeth’s family had stated that they’d never seen or heard of Romero, and were unsure how the incident had unfolded. It’s now been determined that Romero was stalking Lizbeth. In addition, he stole her phone after killing her, and was responding to people’s text messages, even on the day of her candlelight vigil.
Romero was caught because her friend sent her a “beautiful message” of goodbye, to which he responded. Lizbeth’s boyfriend then sent a message, and Romero replied to that as well. The two told Jacqueline, who told the police.
Police tracked the phone via geolocation to Schulenburg, Texas, where Romero was found, with the phone, and arrested.
Police said that the Medina apartment was burglarized approximately three weeks prior to her murder, on November 13. She was found dead on December 5.
Jacqueline said that the two had noticed that “little things” had gone missing prior to the burglary, but they reported the incident on November 13 because some “larger items” were missing.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Jacqueline said, "After this person was caught and [police] found those specific things that were missing, that's when I knew it was connected.”
In the affidavit for Romero’s arrest, Edna Police wrote, "While processing the scene, it was discovered Lizbeth had multiple stab wounds, and her clothing was soaking wet, leading us to believe Lizbeth's homicide was a criminal homicide (murder) and that her body had been washed after the murder.
"I believe the burglary from 11/13/2023 could have a connection with the murder suspect. I believed the suspect of this murder was at large and a present danger to the community. I was especially concerned that the person believed to be the murder suspect was texting other high school students, leading me to believe the suspect was targeting students.”
"More than anything,” Jacqueline said, “I want something good to come out of this tragedy. I want to find a way that we can make better laws because, as you know, this person shouldn't have even been here. If protocols were followed, he probably shouldn't have even been in the country. So, I definitely want something good to come out of this in my daughter's name. No matter how long it takes.
"I'm so thankful to the police department. … There were a lot of people involved, and I'm thankful to the community who helped as well. But it was the quick moves of the police department. They got an emergency disclosure for the geolocation for that phone and were able to track this person."
Jacqueline said that Lizbeth, her only daughter, was her “mission in life.” With her gone, her new mission is to obtain justice for her death.
Apparently, there have been negative rumors floating around about Lizbeth and Romero. Jacqueline responded to those, saying, "There are so many lies being put out in the media. And I don't care at this point if they talk about me. I just want my daughter's memory alive. … She's not here to defend herself. She's not here to say, ‘I didn’t know this person. This person was a stranger.' And for these people that are heartless and speaking on my daughter's name, that's disgusting.
"I just want everybody to know that that was an amazing child. She wasn't a normal teenager getting in trouble for doing crazy stuff. She was very mature for her age. She was a caring and loving person who, as far as I know and from the messages I received, she changed a lot of people's lives. I just want everybody to remember her that way and not the way that she was taken from me."
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Comments
2024-01-02T23:29-0500 | Comment by: Marie
WE can thank you know who for all of this! We had a President that was trying to keep out bad people. Now we have many bad people, terrorists, people from Countries that hate us. All I can say is buy bullets and be reagy!
2024-01-02T23:31-0500 | Comment by: Kevin
This cannot be correct. I read on the Internet that illegal aliens commit far less crime than citizens per capita. The are all happy hard-working people who go to church every day and never use social services. Please correct. The criminal is obviously a white heterosexual masculine Christian male. The President has said they are the most dangerous people in the nation, next to moms who go to school board meetings.