The suspect in the brutal slaying of a 16-year-old Texas cheerleader has been caught and charged with capital murder, authorities confirmed. Rafael Govea Romero, detained over the weekend in Schulenburg, about 70 miles from the victim's hometown of Edna, is now behind bars. According to the Edna Police Department, Romero, whom officials have described as undocumented, was apprehended with assistance from the Texas Rangers.
The young girl was found lifeless by her mother in their apartment's bathtub on Tuesday. She was remembered by her aunt Ana Medina, who stated, “Lizbeth was outgoing and confident — someone willing to take off her shirt to give it to someone else,” as per NBC News.
The tight-knit community came together to mourn at a vigil held Saturday night. In a released press statement, officials said, "Although Romero is apprehended, we recognize Lizabeth's family and friends are grieving and will still need support from the community. The citizens of Edna can now sleep in peace"!
Edna Police Chief Rick Boone wrote in a Facebook post, "They not only stepped up during their own shifts, but worked many hours willingly on their days off and past their own shift times.”
Originally hailing from Nebraska, Lizbeth Medina had been in Texas for roughly a year, as mentioned on a GoFundMe set up by her family to cover funeral and memorial costs. Ana Medina, her aunt, wrote on the fundraising page, "She was loved by many but most importantly, she is loved and will be missed by the family."
