Eventually the two would move in together, and Anna would treat Cassies two kids as her own. She started to cry. We met once at the colleges library, and then later at a Whataburger, where he takes his kids so often that he knows the staff well. I trusted Elizabeth, that she wasnt going to hurt my daughters, he said. An allegation was filed with Child Protective Services that she and her husband were fighting violently in front of their young children and that was grounds for removal to foster care. Go ahead and pull the trigger, Javier, Im not afraid of you, she remembers saying. She thought I was up to something, Otto told me. Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox. The scene of the crime had vanished. Vasquez's story could have happened to anyone, just as it did to her 19-year-old self, fresh out of high school. Police were on the phone, saying her two nieces then ages 7 and 9 had accused Ramirez and three of her friends of sexually. But because only copies of the documents are available, the experts reports were inconclusive. She spoke to reporters at her childhood home, a small bungalow where the street dead-ends at a muddy creek. Dr. Kellogg has told the Bexar County District Attorneys office that her initial claims at the trial are outdated and that she wouldnt offer the same testimony today. Though Annas family was more accepting than the others, she still remembers gawking looks whenever she and Cassie would stroll together at carnivals. A video of Anna Vasquez plays on a computer and is projected to an audience at a meeting of the San Antonio Crime Coalition on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Surrounded by cameras from local and national media outlets, the women thanked the DAs office and the media for letting us tell our story. They also thanked Darrell Otto, over and over again, though none of the reporters asked about him. You know why? With her are her lawyer, Casie Gotro, and her husband, Joseph Martinez. Roughly a year later, in late October 2013, attorney Mike Ware filed writs for all four women. While the names of those who make an outcry to CPS aren't public, the affidavit and testimony state that the case stems from a call to CPS in early August that claimed that the couple had a history of domestic violence, including Joseph Martinez pulling a butcher knife on his wife and her threatening him with pepper spray. Nathan contacted family members and others connected to the case, and Otto sought out reporters and published a short essay of his own on Texas Monthlys website. "Word is on the street is that someone else did it, and not [Gregorio Agustine]?" Javier Limon, which happens to be the two girls' father and Elizabeth's brother-in-law at the time, is apparently the man responsible for all of this. Gloria was suspicious of Javier. In the spare, gray courtroom, Cassie, who often wore denim overalls, had on a black dress with white flowers. No. When Elizabeth had entered the courtroom, the girl who was accusing her of sexual abuse had waved at her and smiled. From the bathroom, she heard screams from her younger sister. His kids took a liking to Elizabeth, so hed let them stay at her apartment, even after he split with Rosemary. Fueled by the "Satanic Ritual Abuse Panic" of the day, baffling charges by one of the women's nieces send them all to prison. Ramirez was tried separately and sentenced to 37 and a half years, more than double that of her three friends, who were tried together. She recorded a second phone call with Morales, and in that same call, Morales still denied any involvement, she testified. Anna Vasquez hugs one of her older brothers, Robert Vasquez, as they embrace each other for the first time in 12 and a half years on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas. Yeah, theyre all gay and were friends, but that doesnt mean its a gay relationship. You got lucky! Anna Vasquez, pictured here on Sept. 4, 2012, was incarcerated at the Murray Unit, in Gatesville, Texas. Grandma, I cant tell you because something happened, and they threatened me, the girl said, as Serafina later related to a jury. As a teenager Otto had hitchhiked across the continent, but by 25 he was tired and wanted mental discipline. You have permission to edit this article. Im sorry it has taken this long for me to know what truly happened, she said haltingly. She would do the same thing if somebody was hurting her child., Elizabeth herself, several months earlier, had said nearly the same words. Released on parole after serving 12 and a half years of a 15-year sentence, Anna Vasquez speaks at a screening of "San Antonio Four," a documentary by Deborah S. Esquenazi, on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, while holding photos of her friends who are still in prison. I would never hurt them in any way, never., Elizabeths lawyer jumped in, saying, Judge, did counsel make reference to O.J. They realized that the four of them had rarely been in the apartment at the same time, because they were so busy with long shifts at various jobs at odd hoursyet the girls were claiming that all four women were present for the assault. Then, only a couple minutes later, the spokesman came back out breathless. A modern tale of colonial-style persecution follows four Latina lesbiansElizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh, and Anna Vasquezwrongfully convicted of sexual assault in the mid-1990s. By the time of the trials, she told me, good pediatricians knew this stuff had been discredited.. Everyone laughed. Then Mike Ware, another lawyer with the Innocence Project, got involved. The sun started to set as family members and friends of the four women lined up outside the county jail, breathing in sharply each time the doors opened. They ask her to keep secrets and instruct her to call at specific times, between 7 and 7:15 a.m. or 5:45 and 6 p.m. I hope these letters are not upsetting, disturbing, or making you feel uncomfortable, one reads. I think Im going to wait for him to come to me, she told me shortly before her release. The cameramen turned on their night-lights, which reflected off the glass of the jail door. Maybe the lawyer could explain to the authorities that no crime had occurred; it was just a malicious accusation orchestrated by a bitter man. Limon was her sister's ex-boyfriend, and the two daughters were her 7- and. It is probable that [Javier] wrote it, said one, adding that there is not enough evidence to make a definite identification or elimination. Another explained, It is one thing to attempt to imitate someones signature once or twice, but an entirely different and exponentially more difficult thing to attempt to successfully imitate a large quantity of extended writing.. Im your grandmother, Cassie said to her daughters 2-year-old girl. what happened to javier limon san antonio. Gloria Herrera keeps a picture of her daughter Elizabeth Ramirez in a Bible in her bedroom, Friday, Dec. 3, 2010. Javiers older daughterwho, because she is still officially considered a victim of child sexual abuse, Ill identify with the initials VLtestified that after several carefree days at Elizabeths apartment, her aunt called her into the bedroom one afternoon and began shouting at her. Matjekas tone grew less friendly. defense attorney Michael Scott asked. I was there every step of the way with my kids, he said. She wanted a relationship with me. at what weight should i use a belt for deadlifts . Vasquez's mother, Maria Vasquez, and aunt, Valeria Pachecano, attended the meeting in her place. While working at H-E-B, she got to know Kristie Mayhugh, who was born in Montana and moved to San Antonio at age 3 when her father was transferred to the Randolph Air Force Base. As their families paid lawyers to file appeals, Cassie and Anna, still very much in love, set out together to investigate the case on their own. He had already taken my kids, so he couldnt hurt me there. At the time of her death, Limon's father stated he had just walked . Elizabeth Ramirez was four months pregnant when she heard a knock at the door. But money was tight, and at various times Elizabeth held jobs at Taco Cabana, Arbys and H-E-B. Elizabeth was completely lost in the huddle. Limon brought the case against his own daughter. When Elizabeth first came out behind the glass to meet him, she couldnt stop shaking. HOUSTON A young woman who recently recanted a nearly 20-year-old accusation of sexual assault, which had sent her aunt and three other women to prison, was in a courtroom here Monday fighting child-abuse allegations leveled at her. Little Liz! Her father had left, but the rest of Elizabeths large familythree brothers, two sisterswas tight and affectionate. In her original statement to police, there had been no gun, but now there was one. His parents sought asylum in Venezuela when he was five after dictator Augusto Pinochet rose to power. VL claimed that the court reporter must have incorrectly taken down her remarks at Elizabeths trial. She now says that didn't happen. I look at this as a giant jigsaw puzzle, said Mary Burdette, an investigator hired by the lawyers, and sometimes a piece is missing and its just gone., If this case returns to court, VL may be the focus of a high-stakes cross-examination over whether she told the truth as a child. She was given permission to be there by her parole officer until they realized the property backed up to a school property line. was an incident when their father, Javier Limon . Javier says that Oscar stabbed him in the back by dating Rosemary, and that due to a stint in prison, Oscar was an excellent forger. I love them. Gloria has no unkind words to say about her daughter, but she never describes her as shrewd. As Elizabeths mother, Gloria, remembers it, her daughter handed over the letters from Javier and said, Mom, hes after me. Gloria invited Javier out to breakfast and confronted him. All four of the women were out as lesbians, a fact that colored the investigation into the accusations and case against them. His primary company is a group of huskies. She said yes. Limon was her sisters ex-boyfriend, and the two daughters were her 7- and 9-year-old nieces. You can chip in for as little as 99 cents a month. The video cuts between scenes of them spinning Cassies kids on a small playground carousel and swimming at a beach. Today, Vasquez works with the Texas Innocence Project to overturn other wrongful convictions. Had someone died? I never heard anything back.. One morning several days later, in September 1994, Elizabeths friends Cassandra Rivera and Anna Vasquez met at a park. But still they were baffled. What happened to javier limon san antonio Opublikowane przez w dniu 6 listopada 2020 The new film Freedom Fighterpart of the 75th anniversary series Bob Marley Legacyexamines Marley as a symbol of human rights with a voice more powerful than any politician. She spoke confidently, her voice cracking a little when she talked about Kristie, Cassie and Anna, and her son. Ware and the other lawyers for the women have said that no matter how much the ongoing investigations may cast doubt on the legal and medical context for the convictions, much about the case will remain a mystery. A car provided by the Innocence Project of Texas whisked them away. When Ramirez rebuffed him, her family claimed, Limon retaliated by coaching his daughters to accuse her of molestation, and the girls ended up accusing Ramirez's three friends as well. Javier said that after the girls spent the week at Elizabeths in July 1994, he didnt notice anything different at first. In early February 1997, Elizabeth sat at the defendants table as the judge stated the charges against her: aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. She was still leaking milk when the police took her to jail. Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Mondos front-page story came out Christmas week 2010 with little impact. The bottom line is this, prosecutor Philip Kazen countered: VL was very clear about specifics in terms of time, place, and content of the sexual assault. Kazen, who is now a judge, didnt respond to multiple interview requests. Matjeka typed her answers into a computer. I showed the letters and samples of Javiers handwriting to several forensic document examiners. Her sister Elizabeth would call him and ask for rides because she didnt have a car, and shed borrow small amounts of cash. Cassandra, who goes by Cassie, was uncomfortable and could sense something was wrong. Otto found an organization called the National Center for Reason and Justice, which was created in the wake of the 1980s-era satanic ritual abuse scandals to advocate for people wrongfully accused of harming children. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. More than a decade later, in 2011, Cassie was transferred to the Hobby Unit in Marlin, where Anna and Elizabeth had been living. But Elizabeth soon found problems there as well. 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Her father Javier called, and as VL assured him that everything at Aunt Lizs house was going just fine, her aunt held the gun to her head. We were inseparable, Cassie said. I know youre very nervous, her lawyer said, according to the transcript. Hes been married but now lives alone 40 miles outside of Whitehorse, the territorys capital and, at 30,000 residents, its largest city. One night Elizabeth stole some of her mothers prescription anxiety pills and overdosed. At one point, he had as many as 40 of them, and he would haul 5-gallon buckets from a nearby river for them to drink. Mr. Limon took his daughters to the Alamo Children's Advocacy Centre where they underwent a physical examination for evidence of . I think that first story was really complicated, she explained. Cassies mother had kicked her out of the house, so Cassie stayed sometimes at Elizabeth and Kristies apartment. She had examined VL and her sister and seen a scar on the hymen that was about two to three millimeters, a scar normally caused by penetration. VLs mood, Kellogg said, was guileless or uncontrived, that is she did not appear to be holding back information or embellishing or adding information., Elizabeth took the stand in her own defense. "I thought you weren't supposed to face charges, per the agreement?" There aren't many places she is allowed to go. He said, I love you. He held me so tight. An appreciative Anna Vasquez, right, looks up to her brother Chris Vasquez at her homecoming. Anna Vasquez (from left), Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh and Cassandra Rivera have been fighting to clear their names in a bizarre 1994 sex assault case. Detective Matjeka had little or no experience interviewing children who making complaints of sexual . Gina Kim covers crime and courts for Santa Maria Times. They traded cars so each could get to work, bought hot dogs for the kids and played basketball at the park. Had he offered to marry her? Gloria Herrera shows her favorite pictures of her daughter, Elizabeth Ramirez, Friday, Dec. 3, 2010. Though she hadnt prepared to become a young single mother, she knew she could rely on her three close friends for help. This is a carousel. The allegations that arose in 1994 stunned Elizabeth Ramirez. Cassie and Anna tried to meticulously recreate what had happened the week of the alleged crimes. They were all arrested and convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Their reinvestigation wasnt fruitful. He checked out a video from the college library on female sexual predators. It is a portrait of the mundane logistics of low-wage life. Javier told me he testified in court on the matter, but that the police filed the CPS report, not him. She knew by then she was either going to accept my lifestyle, or I wasnt going to be a part of her life, Elizabeth said. Had she ever left her nieces under the care of her friends? Guards at the rural prison stared in surprise at his Canadian ID card. As a lesbian couple in conservative San Antonio, they seldom showed affection in public, but Anna was unusually touchy that morning. Outlets must also tag the Observer in all social media posts. An affidavit submitted by a CPS caseworker outlines multiple accusations against the couple, from having a filthy apartment to being violent with each other, which they both deny. Since the early 1980s, the United States had seen numerous accusations, investigations and trials of daycare workers and other adults for supposedly engaging in ritual satanic abuse, including the rape, murder and torture of children. But Javiers sister, Cristina Aguilar, described Javier very differently. The most painful memory of that day was being separated from my newborn son, she later wrote. When Elizabeth went to get a haircut, the hairdresser wouldnt let her pay. Javier told me that his daughter didnt recant because she suddenly changed her mind about what happened to her. The girls father, Javier Limon, who had dated her sister Rosemary before a messy breakup, had been making advances toward her, she said. Hooper described Javiers behavior as a pattern, saying he uses the authorities to get back at people who have crossed him. She was 22. He sometimes grows out a mustache thatalong with the tweed jackets he likes, the glasses perched on his head and the iPhone in his shirt pocketgives him the look of a harried college professor. According to Ramirez, the accusation came after she rebuffed romantic advances by Limon. 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