Left: Rafael Romero (Edna police) Right: Lizbeth Medina (Instagram).
A judge in Texas sentenced a 25-year-old man to prison for killing a 16-year-old cheerleader who was found dead in her apartment bathtub.
Rafael Govea Romero received two life sentences plus 20 years for the murder and robbery of Lizbeth Medina. Lizbeth”s mother found her dead in December 2023 in the bathtub of her apartment in Edna, about 100 miles southwest of Houston.
Jacqueline Medina, Lizbeth’s mom, released the following statement to Crossroads Today following the sentencing hearing.
I don’t think he deserves any of my words — I won’t give him the power that would give him. But if I had one thing to say to him, I would tell him: you didn’t win. About my daughter — for anyone who didn’t know her: Lizabeth was so kind-hearted. She was goofy and funny — she was a light when she walked into a room. She was compassionate toward others, and she had so many dreams that were all hers. She wanted to be a princess, she wanted to feed people, and she was already working toward her goals: at 16 she was getting certifications and doing side jobs to get where she wanted. She was ambitious and she loved everybody. She will always be my little girl — even though she was 16 when she was taken from me, she will always be my little girl. That’s Lizzo — my Lizzo. I will continue fighting for her because that’s what she deserves. I will continue seeking justice and helping others get justice too. Hearing him say “guilty” in court was a very emotional moment. We’ve been waiting for those words for almost two years, and finally hearing them — it was a lot to take in.
As Law&Crime previously reported, cops arrested Romero, who had overstayed a work visa, a few days after the homicide about 60 miles away in Schulenburg.
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“Although Romero is apprehended, we recognize Lizbeth’s family and friends are grieving and will still need support from the community,” Edna Police Chief Rick Boone said in a news release.
Jacqueline Medina told local CBS affiliate KHOU her daughter was “murdered in cold blood” only a year after they moved to Edna from Nebraska. Medina reportedly discovered her daughter’s death at home after becoming worried when she did not see Lizbeth marching with her cheer teammates at a Christmas parade.
“It should have been a great day because she was involved in the Christmas parade. She was going to be with the cheer squad,” the devastated mother said, calling Lizbeth “my world, my everything.”
Lizbeth’s aunt wrote in a GoFundMe page that her niece “was loved by many but most importantly she is loved and will be missed by the family.” She leaves behind several family and friends who have been “torn apart from this tragedy.”
