Southwest
Texas teen found stabbed in bathtub likely stalked by illegal immigrant suspect who texted her friends: police
WARNING: GRAPHIC
Texas police believe an illegal immigrant suspect charged with murdering Lizbeth Medina, a 16-year-old girl found stabbed to death in her bathtub Dec. 5, likely stalked the teenager before he allegedly took her life.
“More than anything, 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,” Lizbeth’s mother, Jacqueline Medina, told Fox News Digital. “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.”
Lizbeth was Jacqueline’s only daughter and her only “life’s mission.” Now, she says, her mission is to “get justice.”
“I want to prevent this from happening to another child. Our children need to be safe in our communities,” she said. “There should be no reason why there should be children afraid of people coming around — strangers, at that — and stalking them.”
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT IN TEXAS CHEERLEADER MURDER HELD ON ICE DETAINER
Jacqueline Medina arrived home to find her daughter, Lizbeth “Liz” Medina, dead in a bathtub of their home after she had not seen or heard from the 16-year-old that afternoon. (Instagram)
Rafael Govea Romero, 23, is charged with capital murder and has been placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer after Medina, a cheerleader at Edna High School, was found in the bathtub with “smeared blood on the sides of her and what appeared to be a stab wound to the upper stomach area,” according to a police affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
“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,” Edna Police wrote in the affidavit.
Police also determined Lizbeth’s apartment had been burglarized Nov. 13, about a month before the teenager’s murder.
Jacqueline said she didn’t make the connection at first. She and Lizbeth had noticed little things that were going missing from their apartment for some time. On Nov. 13, they reported the missing belongings to police because some larger items had disappeared.
The Edna Police Department announced the arrest of Rafael Govea Romero, an “undocumented male” officials believe is “the person responsible for the death of Lizbeth Medina” in Schulenburg. (Edna Police Department)
“After this person was caught and [police] found those specific things that were missing, that’s when I knew it was connected,” Jacqueline said.
Officers also indicated a connection between the burglary and the murder in the affidavit.
“I believe the burglary from 11/13/2023 could have a connection with the murder suspect,” an Edna officer wrote. “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.
TEXAS CHEERLEADER, 16, FOUND DEAD IN APARTMENT BATHTUB BELIEVED MURDERED: ‘I DON’T UNDERSTAND’
“Furthermore, I believe the public was in danger due to the stalking-like behavior displayed by the suspect via the potential connection of the 11/13/2023 burglary and driving through the apartment complex on 12/4/2023.”
Jacqueline said the stalking behavior is the “scariest part” of the tragedy that has forever altered her life since Dec. 5.
Jacqueline Medina arrived home to find her daughter, Lizbeth “Liz” Medina, dead in the bathtub of their home at the Cottonwood Apartments after she hadn’t seen or heard from the 16-year-old that afternoon. (Facebook)
“I can’t even think how a person is capable of such things,” she said. “I didn’t understand how a stranger could stalk someone. You know what I mean? I didn’t think it was real. I’ve seen it in movies, but I never once thought it was real, and that’s scary to me. I have panic attacks.”
“If you wanted to burglarize the apartment, why not just take whatever you wanted and leave her?”
Edna authorities indicated Romero may have stolen Lizbeth’s phone after the murder. Lizbeth’s boyfriend tracked the 16-year-old’s location to an area about a half mile away from her apartment using his smartphone the day of her murder. The following day, Lizbeth’s cousin saw that her Snapchat sent to the victim had been opened, indicating that someone was using her phone after her death.
TEXAS POLICE ARREST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN 16-YEAR-OLD CHEERLEADER LIZBETH MEDINA’S MURDER
Additionally, Lizbeth’s boyfriend and friend received texted replies from her number Dec. 9, the day of Lizbeth’s vigil.
“So people understand how sick this man is, Saturday, the day of my daughter’s vigil — which was, to me, magical because I know she was there and everybody who was there felt her — minutes after the vigil, one of her friends texted my daughter’s phone and just wanted to say something beautiful to her. And this person responded,” Jacqueline said.
Jacqueline Medina previously described her daughter as “an amazing, good girl.” She was “very mature” and cared deeply for her friends and family. (Jacqueline Medina)
The friend told Lizbeth’s boyfriend, who then texted Lizbeth’s phone himself, and he also received a response.
“At that point, they call me, and they said, ‘Jackie, someone’s responding to Elizabeth’s phone.’ My heart dropped. I said, ‘It’s him. It’s got to be him.’”
Within an hour of reporting the suspicious phone activity to Edna police, authorities were able to track the geolocation of Lizbeth’s phone to the suspect in Schulenburg, Texas, about an hour’s drive from Edna, where they arrested Romero.
“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,” Jacqueline said. “They got an emergency disclosure for the geolocation for that phone and were able to track this person.”
Lizbeth Medina, 16, was found dead in her Texas home Dec. 5. (Jacqueline Medina)
The suspect’s bond was set at $2 million after his arrest.
Jacqueline said she wants to keep her daughter’s memory alive and put an end to rumors about herself and her daughter.
“There are so many lies being put out in the media,” the grieving mother said. “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.”
She previously described her daughter as “an amazing, good girl.” She was “very mature” and cared deeply for her friends and family.
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I just want everybody to know that that was an amazing child,” Jacqueline said. “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.”
The Medina family has created a GoFundMe in its efforts to find Liz’s suspected killer, titled “Justice for Lizbeth Medina.”
Read the full article from Here
Southwest
Pritzker says Trump ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Illinois, Oregon and other locations
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced on Sunday that President Donald Trump will deploy 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Illinois, Oregon and other locations.
The deployment came as protests against federal law enforcement ramp up across the country, particularly in Portland and Chicago.
In the Windy City, multiple people were arrested in recent days for reportedly ramming their vehicles into DHS and ICE agents’ cars.
After announcing Trump’s deployment on X late Sunday, Pritzker wrote that “no officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.”
CHICAGO ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS BLOCK VEHICLES, GET HIT WITH TEAR GAS AND PEPPER BALLS
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker criticized President Trump’s decision to deploy 400 Texas National Guard troops to Illinois and Oregon. (Getty Images)
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” the Democratic governor wrote.
“It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
Pritzker also disclosed that he called Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate.”
ANTI-ICE PORTLAND RIOTERS WITH GUILLOTINE CLASH WITH POLICE IN WAR-LIKE SCENES
Police clash with demonstrators during a protest outside an immigrant processing and detention center on Oct. 3, 2025 in Broadview, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation,” the governor added.
“The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness.”
In response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended his decision, writing on X that he had “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials.”
Law enforcement officers stand in tear gas outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
He then added that federal and state leaders must “either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it,” while praising the Guard’s “training, skill and expertise.”
Abbott also noted that thousands of Texas National Guard troops have remained along the southern border to assist with security operations.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed the U.S. is “on the brink of martial law.”
In recent days, large numbers of protesters have rioted against immigration enforcement actions across the country. ICE shared a video of a Portland protester being wheeled into custody on Sunday.
ICE shared a video showing a suspect being rolled away on a flatbed cart in Portland, Oregon. (@ICEgov via X)
In Broadview, Illinois, on Friday, more than a dozen people were arrested by federal agents during protests at an ICE processing facility. Agents were seen firing pepper balls, tear gas and rubber bullets to clear crowds.
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
One person is dead after a shooting on a Dallas Area Rapid Transit train Sunday night, marking the second deadly incident on the Texas train system in the past week.
The shooting happened near the Pearl/Arts District Station on Bryan Street around 7 p.m., according to FOX 4.
DART police responded after a caller reported an active shooter at the station, the outlet reported. One person was found dead from a gunshot wound on the train.
Details surrounding the incident are limited, but FOX 4 reported a suspect is in custody.
AMERICA’S COMMUTERS UNDER SIEGE AS VIOLENT TRANSIT CRIMES ENDANGER BLUE CITIES
Police responded to the DART train near Pearl/Arts District Station on Bryan Street after a passenger was shot and killed. (Jordan Bickerstaff via FOX 4)
Fox News Digital reached out to DART for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
The deadly shooting comes less than a week after a man was killed on the DART train last Monday. DART police responded to the Market Center Station on Harry Hines Boulevard at around 10:15 p.m., FOX 4 reported on Wednesday.
Daniel Tom Gormley, 53, was found inside a train car with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene after first responders attempted life-saving measures.
NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR SIGNS ‘IRYNA’S LAW’ AFTER UKRAINIAN REFUGEE’S BRUTAL TRAIN MURDER
One person is dead after a shooting on a DART train in Dallas, Texas, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (Jordan Bickerstaff via FOX 4)
Gormley was a Marine veteran, according to a GoFundMe page aimed at helping the family pay for funeral costs.
“He was a victim of a senseless act of violence while aboard a train in Dallas, Texas, and was taken from us far too soon,” the fundraiser reads. “Our family is heartbroken and completely unprepared for the financial burden of planning a funeral and managing the associated costs. We are reaching out to our community for support during this devastating time.”
Daniel Tom Gormley, 53, was shot and killed on a DART train in Dallas on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (GoFundMe)
A DART rail operator reported to police that Gormley told the suspect to get off the train before the suspect fired a gun three times, according to FOX 4. It’s unclear what led to the exchange.
Gormley’s accused killer was identified as Christopher Clemson Akins and was taken into custody quickly, police said.
DART Police Chief Charles Cato said last Wednesday that such incidents are “extremely rare” and “taken very seriously.”
“DART Police remain deeply committed to the safety of our riders, employees, and the communities we serve,” Cato said, via FOX 4.
DART is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, offering multiple travel options: Light Rail, Trinity Railway Express commuter rail, bus routes, GoLink on-demand services and paratransit services.
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas announced Monday that he’s running for the Senate, jumping into an already bitter battle between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and primary challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“The U.S. Senate race in Texas must be about more than a petty feud between two men who have spent months trading barbs,” Hunt said in a statement as he launched his campaign. “With my candidacy, this race will finally be about what’s most important — Texas.”
Hunt’s entry into the race turns up the heat on an already combustible battle between Cornyn, who’s running in 2026 for a fifth six-year term representing red state Texas in the Senate, and Paxton, the MAGA firebrand who’s an ally of President Donald Trump.
Hunt, a West Point graduate who flew Apache helicopters during his Army service and a rising MAGA star who is in his second term representing a safe Republican district in the Houston-area, emphasized in his statement, “My record speaks louder than words. I am the most consistently conservative legislator representing Texas in Congress.”
IS CORNYN CLOSING THE GAP WITH PAXTON IN THE GOP’S MOST COMBUSTIBLE 2026 SENATE PRIMARY?
Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 15, 2024. (Mike Segar – Reuters)
Cornyn, who is backed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, trailed Paxton by double digits at the beginning of the summer.
TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE IN 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS
But Cornyn has narrowed the polling gap in recent weeks, thanks in part to a massive ad blitz by allies that spotlighted the numerous controversies that have battered Paxton over the past decade.
Trump, whose endorsement would make a major impact in the Texas primary battle, has remained neutral to date.
Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas opens a Trump 2024 campaign field office in Philadelphia, on June 4, 2024. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )
Hunt, pointing to his backing of Trump as the then-former president launched his 2024 White House comeback, touted that “I was the first person in the nation to endorse President Trump, and I have remained steadfast in my commitment to the people of Texas.”
FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS
Hunt had been mulling a Senate run for months and sources confirmed to Fox News earlier this year that the congressman had made his case to Trump’s political team that he’s the only person who could win both a GOP primary and a general election.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is running for re-election in 2026 for a fifth six-year term in the U.S. Senate. (Reuters)
And an aligned super PAC spent big bucks this summer to increase Hunt’s name recognition across the state of Texas.
Paxton adviser Nick Maddux, in a statement to Fox News, said that “Primaries are good for our party and our voters, and Paxton and Hunt both know that Texans deserve better than the failed, anti-Trump record of John Cornyn.”
But Cornyn campaign senior adviser Matt Mackowiak argued in a statement that “Rep. Wesley Hunt is a legend in his own mind. No one is happier this morning than the national Democrats who are watching Wesley continue his quixotic quest for relevancy, costing tens of millions of dollars that will endanger the Trump agenda from being passed.”
Hunt’s entry into the GOP nomination race could prevent the winner of next March’s primary from winning a majority of the vote, which would trigger a runoff election two and a half months later.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seen at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, is primary challenging GOP Sen. John Cornyn in the 2026 election. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Democrats are hoping for a Paxton victory in the primary, which they believe would make next year’s general election more competitive.
It’s been nearly four decades since a Democrat won a Senate election in Texas. You have to go back to the 1988 re-election victory by then-Sen. Lloyd Bentsen.
Former Rep. Colin Allred, who lost last November’s Senate election in Texas to conservative firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz by over 8 points, is running for the 2026 Democratic nomination, along with rising star Texas state Rep. James Talarico and former astronaut Terry Virts.
Read the full article from Here
Sanctioning Hizballah Finance Operatives – United States Department of State
Mitochondria and aging: Why HIIT is the game-changer for fitness and longevity
Labyrinth Anime Film Review
Video: Mexico’s President Presses Charges After Being Groped on the Street
Yes, You Can Eat Candy and Lose Weight—These Sugar-Free Picks Make It Easy
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Battle for the House: GOP gets boost in bid to flip swing district after Democrat bows out
EU risks ‘losing credibility’ if it fails to enlarge, Montenegro’s deputy PM warns
Trump urges GOP to end shutdown. And, SCOTUS skeptical of reasoning behind tariffs
Read the Judge’s Order
UFC legend endorses pro-law enforcement pick for California governor: ‘We need his strength’
-
Milwaukee, WI1 week agoLongtime anchor Shannon Sims is leaving Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV (Channel 4)
-
News1 week agoWith food stamps set to dry up Nov. 1, SNAP recipients say they fear what’s next
-
Culture1 week agoVideo: Dissecting Three Stephen King Adaptations
-
Seattle, WA1 week agoFOX 13’s Aaron Levine wins back-to-back Jeopardy! episodes
-
Seattle, WA4 days agoESPN scoop adds another intriguing name to Seahawks chatter before NFL trade deadline
-
Education1 week agoOpinion | New York City Mayoral Candidates: Who Would Be Best?
-
San Diego, CA1 week agoAdd Nick Hundley, Ruben Niebla to list of Padres’ managerial finalists
-
Business6 days agoCommentary: Meme stocks are still with us, offering new temptations for novice and unwary investors