Illegal immigrant charged in cheerleader's murder 'knew what he was doing' despite latest claim, mom says
Slain Texas cheerleader Lizbeth Medina's mother, Jacqueline Medina, says a request from the suspect in her daughter's murder for an insanity test only "adds to the pain."
The mother of slain 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina, who was allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant from Mexico in December 2023, says the suspect's request for an insanity evaluation only "adds to the pain."
Rafael Govea Romero, 25, is charged with capital murder after Lizbeth was found dead with stab wounds on Dec. 5, 2023, in the bathroom of the Edna, Texas, apartment she shared with her mother.
"I broke down. I completely broke down," Jacqueline Medina, Lizbeth's mother, told Fox News Digital of her reaction to seeing his request for an insanity test, as local newspaper The Victoria Advocate first reported.
"For me, there's enough evidence that is obviously determining the fact… he knew what he was doing," Medina said. "One of the police officers said he seemed to be professional."
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Medina had left their apartment for work early on Dec. 5, 2023. Her daughter typically left for school shortly afterward, but that day she did not make it to school or the Christmas parade that her cheer team was supposed to be practicing for.
Medina returned home that evening after no one had heard from or seen Lizbeth and found her dead in the bathtub of their apartment. Edna police arrested Romero in Schulenburg, Texas, five days after Lizbeth's death.
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The murder suspect was reportedly on probation for a 2022 burglary in Schulenburg, about 60 miles from Edna, the Fayette County Record first reported. Edna police said Romero may also be tied to a burglary that occurred at Lizbeth's home about a month before her killing.
"The insanity plea just adds to the pain and to the hurt that we're already going through," Medina said. "And I was looking forward to this trial, and now it's being pushed back."
Romero was initially scheduled to stand trial in December, but it has been rescheduled for February, and Medina said she is not receiving updates from the court regarding developments in the case.
"All I want… all I am begging for is justice for my daughter. That's all I want, and the fact that this case will be pushed back and pushed back – it hurts me because I ask myself: Did my daughter get that chance? Did she get that chance? Did he give her that mercy? Or that chance to live?" Medina said. "She had the right to live. She had the right to be safe in her home."
Medina said she is eagerly awaiting answers in her daughter's case, including why a judge previously released Romero on parole in his prior burglary case.
Neither Medina nor Lizbeth knew Romero, but Medina noted that their house had been burglarized on Nov. 13, about a month before the teenager's murder. Edna police officers believe Romero may have been involved in the burglary and may have stalked Lizbeth before allegedly attacking and killing her.
The grieving mother also said she stands with others who have lost their children to illegal immigrant suspects this year, including the family of Laken Riley. The suspect in Riley's murder, Jose Ibarra, of Venezuela, was convicted on 10 counts and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Nov. 13. Lizbeth, Riley, Rachel Morin of Maryland, Jocelyn Nungaray of Texas, Ruby Garcia of Michigan and Maria Gonzalez of Texas are women and girls allegedly killed by illegal immigrants over the past two years.
"I stand with all the mothers and fathers who are going through this like and Riley's family and Jocelyn Nungaray's family – all of them," Medina said. "We are all united by the same tragedies. I have recently seen Laken Riley's outcome. And like I said, they will never get to have her back. But that could have been prevented. [The] Biden and the Harris administration failed us completely, and now I'm losing hope."
Romero's defense team also filed a motion to suppress certain evidence, arguing Edna Police Department officers searched and detained Romero without reasonable suspicion, and they searched his apartment without consent from the suspect, the Advocate reported.
The suspect's defense attorney, Ross Reifel, did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital. Romero is currently being held on $2 million bond in Jackson County.
