High School Cheerleader Found Dead In Apartment; Family Suspects Murder
By Jason Hall
December 8, 2023
The death of a Texas high school cheerleader has led to a capital murder investigation.
Lizbeth Medina, 16, was found unresponsive by her mother, Jacqueline, at their Edna apartment on Tuesday (December 5) after she was absent from the town's Lighted Christmas parade she was supposed to participate in with her squad earlier in the afternoon, CrossroadsToday.com reports. The teenager was pronounced dead by emergency first responders at the scene shortly after.
"Once I found her, I realized she was gone. I called the police at that very moment. Words can't explain what I felt at that moment, finding my daughter in the matter that she was. All I can say is that I hope with all my heart that there is justice with my daughter." Jacqueline Medina said.
Family members identify 16-year-old Edna HS cheerleader, Lizbeth Medina, found dead inside apartment bathtub.
— Rilwan Balogun (@KPRC2Rilwan) December 8, 2023
Police ruling her death has murder but didn’t share more details. https://t.co/IM0yd6CIXL
Jacqueline believes her daughter was murdered by someone, which she said may have been linked to a recent break-ins at their Cottonwood Apartments complex in recent weeks.
“There was no laced drugs, there was nothing like that. My daughter was found in a way that no mother should ever find their child,” she said via CrossroadsToday.com. “Someone hurt my child, someone took my child from me.”
Investigators have launched a capital murder case but haven't publicly revealed any information on the crime scene or whether there was evidence of struggle. Jacqueline slammed online rumors that a suspect was already in police custody, claiming the misinformation was "ruining the investigation that’s still ongoing."
“I want the murderer of my daughter to be found and caught and put behind bars.
A 'Justice for Lizbeth Medina' GoFundMe page was launched by the victim's aunt on Thursday (December 8) and raised more than $4,000 of its $20,000 goal within 21 hours.