Anna Vasquez, pictured here on Sept. 4, 2012, was incarcerated at the Murray Unit, in Gatesville, Texas. Theres a home video from the period shortly before Kristie, Cassie and Anna went to prison in 2000. If he did, Im going to ask for a mistrial. The judge overruled that request. Stephanie now said the women had never abused her. defense attorney Michael Scott asked. At left is Rose Vasquez, Anna's sister-in-law, taking pictures. . Cassie recalls that Elizabeth promised Javier she would marry him. I think that first story was really complicated, she explained. Though Annas family was more accepting than the others, she still remembers gawking looks whenever she and Cassie would stroll together at carnivals. To be honest with you, she said, I feel so bad for my brother, because I tell him hes got the worst luck with women.. But the pool of advocates for the women was growing. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. With a lot of time on his own, Otto developed various research obsessions outside his academic work on fish breeding. His kids took a liking to Elizabeth, so hed let them stay at her apartment, even after he split with Rosemary. The court battle this week pitted Stephanie Limon Martinez and her husband, Joseph Martinez, against her father, Javier Limon, who in court Friday accused them of domestic violence and. During that conversation, which was played to the jury, Alejandre could be heard asking Morales who killed Limon. Promotional Rates were found for your code. I want my babies back, she said, crying. Gloria took her to the hospital and then kicked her out of the house. Michael Barajas Deborah Esquenazi sat in the front seat and held a camera as Stephanie read. Six months before graduation, overwhelmed with her work schedule, she dropped out of high school. She had just gotten home from a shift at Arbys, where she had recently been promoted to manager. 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 asked him, had he been in love with Elizabeth? She tried to get out, but the door was locked. Now Kristie had been at the apartment, whereas before she hadnt. The story of the San Antonio Four unfolded like this: In the summer of 1994, Ramirez's two nieces, the 9- and 7-year-old daughters of her older sister, stayed for a week with Ramirez and. Alejandre replied, "I thought so, too. Elizabeth had been incarcerated nearly 17. Then Aunt Liz ordered her to take a shower. Yeah, theyre all gay and were friends, but that doesnt mean its a gay relationship. They were all arrested and convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. In the backseat of a car, Stephanie Limon (now Stephanie Martinez) read from a sheet of notebook paper. Aunt Liz produced a gun. Javier said that after the girls spent the week at Elizabeths in July 1994, he didnt notice anything different at first. The next day, the fish died and they returned it. 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. Limon brought the case against his own daughter. on No. He had no idea who she was. Ramirezs two nieces, then 7 and 9, accused all four women of attacking and raping them with objects when the girls visited Ramirezs apartment in the summer of 1994. When Elizabeth went to get a haircut, the hairdresser wouldnt let her pay. He found criminals particularly fascinating, especially the psychologically obscure, because, like him, they were on the fringes of society. I remember reporters at the time wanting to know if we were trying these women because they were lesbian, which was ludicrous, she told me. 2021 The Texas Observer. At the station, Matjeka asked if she knew a man named Javier Limon and his two daughters. Kids' removal called payback for recanting, Woman fighting to clear name in 1994 sex assault is paroled, Parole OK'd for woman fighting for exoneration. Some of the discrepancies came from Serafina Limon, Javiers mother, who initially reported the girls outcries. Now it was Anna who had wielded the gun, not Elizabeth. Anna Vasquez, recently released on parole, speaks at a Work-In-Progress screening of "San Antonio Four" a documentary by Deborah S. Esquenazi, about Vasquez and three of her friends, who are still in prison, found guilty of sexual assault of two minors. On Valentines Day 1998, a Saturday morning, all three were convicted of the same crimes as Elizabeth: aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. Booking mugshots of Elizabeth Ramirez (from left), Kristie Mayhugh, Anna Vasquez and Cassandra Rivera. Gentry was a minister, and though he had told the lawyers he believed homosexuality to be a sin, he also said this belief wouldnt cloud his judgment. The relationship could remain secret only so long, and when Elizabeths mother found out, their already strained connection suffered further. 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. In high school, she remained small, never more than 4-foot-9, though that didnt keep her from playing on the basketball team. The allegations that arose in 1994 stunned Elizabeth Ramirez. Grandma, I cant tell you because something happened, and they threatened me, the girl said, as Serafina later related to a jury. Do you know anything about where she learned it? Serafina asked. An emotional Anna Vasquez pauses before answering questions about three of her friends who are still in prison. I thought my case was going to go away.". They are signed Javier Limon.. Reply ( 0) Leave a comment. Alejandre testified she went to the sheriff's substation voluntarily and spoke with Sgt. Si deseas conocer ms sobre este negocio, puedes llamar y solicitar informacin de sus productos y servicios. 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I trusted Elizabeth, that she wasnt going to hurt my daughters, he said. Some things were familiar: Elizabeth savored a strawberry shake from McDonalds and watched a Spurs game on television; Cassie went to a cookout for her sons birthday. I called all the womens previous attorneys, and they didnt even remember the case, she told me. When he denied that the letters existed, she took them out and pointed to his signature. I dont want to say I was disowned, but I was, Elizabeth told me. As a lesbian couple in conservative San Antonio, they seldom showed affection in public, but Anna was unusually touchy that morning. Otto teaches courses on natural resources at Yukon College. Javier did not testify, but told me unequivocally, There was no gun.), Sometimes truth is different, Ruiz told the jury. was an incident when their father, Javier Limon . I could mail out 50 letters and not one of them would [get a response] back, said Elizabeth, who scoured medical and legal textbooks in the prison library and spent nearly all of her commissary money on stamps. The film showcases the innocent women's fight for innocence and persistence throughout their nearly 15 years in prison. Stephanie Limon Martinez (right), shown with lawyer Casie Gotro, is fighting child-abuse allegations she said are based on retaliation. She said that her father Javier had coached her to make the accusations. He would offer Elizabeth rides, he would give her small amounts of cash when she needed it, and he would leave long messages on her answering machine. 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. Anna said she no longer cared if anyone saw them as lovers, since they had so little time left. Swimming with the kids. More letters followed, each one taking about two weeks between his home and Elizabeths prison in Marlin. She also noted that while she did regularly use and sell drugs, she only sold the substances to support her children, and wasn't paying taxes to gangs, or to Morales. Matjeka told Elizabeth that if she had committed a crime, her sondue in about five monthswould probably be taken by the authorities. Elizabeth Ramirez (clockwise from top left), Kristie Mayhugh, Cassandra Rivera and Anna Vasquez -- the San Antonio Four -- are all out on bond or parole, but face new trials. Did you threaten him with pepper spray? the lawyer asked. He is expected to testify this week in a case in which one of his daughters is fighting allegations of child abuse. Ex-girlfriend of inmate charged with ordering slaying of Javier Limon testifies, Breaking News | Local Sports | Daily Headlines | Local Obituaries | Weather | Local Offers. Of course she did. She gave the San Antonio Express-News permission to use her name even though the paper's policy is to not name victims of sex assault, which she still is in the eyes of the law. Little Liz! Her father had left, but the rest of Elizabeths large familythree brothers, two sisterswas tight and affectionate. The sheriffs spokesman came out and explained that the jail still needed a form from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. At school, coming out wasnt as big a deal because nobody talked about it. In September 2015, Morris texted Alejandre, telling her to show up to court for her drug possession for sale charges, along with special gang enhancements, she testified. For 20 years, Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh, Cassandra Rivera and Anna Vasquez have fought to prove their innocence. Anna Vasquez (left), Cassandra Rivera and Kristie Mayhugh (right) were tried together and were sentenced to 15 years, which began in 2000 after they lost their only appeal. 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