The mother of 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina, who was allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant from Mexico in December 2023, said requests for an insanity test on the suspect would “only add to the pain.”
Rafael Gobert Romero, 25, was arrested on December 5, 2023, after Lizbeth was found dead of stab wounds in the bathroom of the Edna, Texas, apartment she shared with her mother. was charged with capital murder.
Lisbeth's mother, Jacqueline Medina, told Fox News Digital of her reaction to seeing his request for an insanity test, saying in a local newspaper: “I broke down in tears. I was completely devastated.” . victoria advocate First reported.
“To me, there's clearly enough evidence to establish the facts…He knew what he was doing,” Medina said. “One of the officers said he looked like a professional.”
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Rafael Gobert Romero, 25, is charged with secret murder in connection with the December 2023 death of 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina. (FOX 26 Houston)
Mr. Medina left his apartment for work in the early morning hours of December 5, 2023. My daughter usually went to school right after that, but that day she couldn't go to school or to the Christmas parade where the cheer squad was supposed to practice.
Medina hadn't heard from or seen Lisbeth that night, so when he returned home he found her dead in the bathtub of her apartment. Edna police arrested Romero. Schulenberg, TexasFive days after Lisbeth's death.
Texas Teen Lizbeth Medina Murder: What You Need to Know About Murder Suspect Rafael Gobert Romero
The murder suspect was reportedly on probation for robbery in 2022. schulenburgIt is located about 90 miles from Edna, Fayette County Records first reported. Edna police said Romero may also have been involved in a robbery at Lisbeth's home about a month before the murder.
Jacqueline Medina came home Tuesday night to find her daughter, Lizbeth “Liz” Medina, dead in her bathtub after she hadn't seen or heard from her 16-year-old daughter that afternoon. discovered. (Instagram)
“The insanity charges only add to the pain and hurt that we are already experiencing,” Medina said. “And I was looking forward to this trial, but now it's been postponed.”
Romero was originally scheduled to go on trial in December, but the case was postponed to February, and Medina said she has not received any updates from the court on developments in the case.
”[H]e came and violated her rights…and yet they want to talk about his rights and that infuriates me. ”
“All I want…all I want is justice for my daughter. That's all I want. And the fact that this case has been postponed so many times… Because I ask myself, did she have that chance? Did he give her a chance to live? ” Medina said. “She had a right to life. She had a right to be safe in her home.”
Edna police said the investigation into Lisbeth's murder is ongoing and that authorities are taking special care in releasing information to the media “to comply with due process, abide by ethical standards, and avoid trial by press conference.” Ta. (Jackson County Sheriff's Office)
Medina said she is looking forward to answers about her daughter's case, including why the judge granted Romero parole in the earlier robbery case.
Neither Medina nor Lizbeth knew Romero, but Medina indicated that her home had been burglarized on Nov. 13, about a month before the teen was killed. Edna police believe Romero was involved in the robbery and may have stalked Lisbeth before. allegedly attacked and killed her.
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Jacqueline Medina arrived home Tuesday night to find her daughter, Lizbeth “Liz” Medina, dead in the bathtub of her Cottonwood Apartments apartment. (Facebook)
The grieving mother also said she stands with those who have lost children to suspected illegal immigrants this year, including Laken Riley's family. Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan suspect in Riley's murder, was found guilty on 13 November on 10 counts and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lizbeth, Riley, and Rachel Morin of Maryland; Joselyn Nangarei of Texas; and Ruby Garcia of Texas; Maria Gonzalez of Michigan and Maria Gonzalez of Texas were killed by illegal immigrants in the past two years. The women and girls who were allegedly raped.
”[The] The Biden-Harris administration has completely failed us. ”
“I stand with all the mothers and fathers and all of them who are going through this like Riley's family and Jocelyn Nungarai's family,” Medina said. “We're all united by the same tragedy. I recently saw how Laken Riley ended, and like I said, they'll never be able to bring her back. But , it could have been prevented.” [The] The Biden and Harris administration has completely let us down and now I'm losing hope. ”
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Romero's attorneys also argued that Edna Police Department officers searched and detained Romero without reasonable suspicion and searched his apartment without the suspect's consent, and filed a motion to suppress certain evidence. The Advocate reported that it had been submitted.
The suspect's attorney, Ross Reifel, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's inquiry. Romero is currently being held on $2 million bail in Jackson County.
