A jury found Pitonyak guilty and sentenced him to 55 years in prison for killing Cave. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. Pitonyak, a former honor student, had been on a downward spiral of dealing drugs and abusing drugs and alcohol. Detectives believe Colton had just received a confirmation to meet his cocaine dealer so the two could do drugs together. [6], Colton Aaron Pitonyak[7] was a finance major at the University of Texas at Austin,[6] originating from Bryant, Arkansas, in Greater Little Rock. later charged with hindering apprehension. 'Why yes,' he said, 'She's sitting right over there by Mr. Support the Chronicle. [2], Jennifer Rae Cave[3] moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, in high school. "I was really attracted to Colton from the beginning.. especially a woman," she said. the gun used in the shooting boyfriend, Jim Sedwick, forced He has sincefiled another appeal disputing the timeline of the murder. Pedro Fernandez (pictured), "I did not want to go to jail. She may have been Colton's friend, but the allegation is that Laura Hall was his accomplice.On Feb. 8, 2010, Laura reports to court to be given the date for her new sentencing hearing. 17, 2005, shooting of his friend, Jennifer Cave. And for the first time, Colton started shifting the blame. "Colton's going, 'No man, I don't know. "I know what's coming," she tells Maher. The next day, Cave's mother filed a missing persons report. The evidence provides some information about when and in what order the fateful events unfolded but yields no insight as to why. After not hearing from their daughter,Cave's parents drove to Austin from Corpus Christi and made the gruesome discovery. Colton Pitonyak testified he has no memory of killing Jennifer Colton Pitonyak was found guilty and sentenced to 55 years in prison. Finally, she called her friend, Michael Rodriguez. She said I am facing 10 years in prison for mutilating a body. The morning after the murder, CCTV captured Pitonyak entering a local hardware store, where receipts show that he purchase an 8-inch hacksaw, safety mask, ammonia, and other cleaning products. "I was really attracted to Colton from the beginning. "[9], In 2007, Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Pitonyak. Cameras weren't allowed in the courtroom as the judge lays out how and when the new sentencing trial will proceed. The owner told police Pitonyak had bought a hacksaw and other supplies about 12 hours She called her family around 8:30pm and told her mother about her new job, then her ex-boyfriend relaying the same excitement about her new position. Bill Bishop. University of Texas student Colton Pitonyak, a one-time National There is no soul.". Sawyer.' "I remember that night - when we were trying to figure out what we were gonna do and getting some clothes packed. Police urgently needed to know everything about Colton and Jennifer. Case says he could not comment on Hall's upcoming sentencing hearing. had more; a photo of Laura and Colton taken while they were on the run in Mexico. "He was incoherent and in a sense, so was I. "Absolutely nothing to do with it," she replies. a AUSTIN, Texas - August 17, 2020 marks the 15th anniversary of the murder of Jennifer Cave. Laura sighs before answering. I'm kind of starting to freak out a little bit. convicted in 2007 for hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence. into Pitonyak's apartment, Cave's When India and Pakistan became two separate countries, it reshaped world history. Pitonyak told Sedwick that Cave was not around and asked them to leave him alone. that killed Cave. She insisted he could not have purposefully mother testified. New court documents accuse Laura Hall of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave. On Colton's side. Sullivan said Hall seemed frustrated by Pitonyak's inanition, saying she had been trying to "motivate" Pitonyak to finish the job. And then, it got worse when the district attorney failed to tell Laura's attorney about that - which was a significant legal mistake. ", "I definitely feel like my life is closing in on me right now," Laura says of her situation. Pitonyak's cell phone records reflect that he first contacted Hall via a text message just after 3:30am on Aug. 17 and again in a 13-minute phone call at 6am. carpet cleaner, gloves. Was she a brutal accomplice or just a lost soul along for the ride? lived. Merit Scholar, is standing trial. police found Cave's Saturn sedan parked on a street near the That afternoon, he went to a hardware store and purchased a hacksaw, garbage bags, cleaning products, and rubber gloves; around the same time, Hall drove her green Cadillac to a gas station, where she filled the tank and washed the car. His apartment Both were drinking, and according to witness Jeffrey And I'm like, 'Oh yes, I know.' With movie production in lockdown, try the sounds of Paper Street, Casey Cep solves the mystery of the true crime book that Harper Lee never wrote, Amanda Jacobson pairs vino reviews with different varietals of lawbreaking, With unprecedented demand for new inventory, parts, and repairs throughout quarantine, local bicycle shops struggle to keep up, One click gets you all the newsletters listed below, Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events. I'd certainly want that evidence presented to a jury," said Turner. "In your mind you're 100 percent convinced that Laura Hall was absolutely a part of the dismemberment and mutilation?" inside this bag. Laura Hall and Colton Pitonyak. She was also a student at UT, a government major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. It was the post-murder behavior that made it so grotesque. Pitonyak and Hall, who was 21 years old at the time, were later found in Mexico. It was Pitonyak a "sociopath" and a "beast" who destroyed everyone around him, Sawyer argued who mutilated Cave's body. At around 8 p.m., Jim calls 911, but when the cops arrive, they wouldn't break in without a search warrant. However, there was one part of Coltons life that even he couldnt control, and that was the constant temptation of drugs and alcohol. Fernandez, to watch a pay-per-view professional fighting match, 291126. In the end, Detective Mark Gilchrest finally gets Laura to give up the gruesome details. "When I got the tattoo, I was so in love with him," she says. 291136. He was the last person to be seen with their daughter, Jennifer Cave. Pitonyak is serving a 55-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murder in 2007. Fifteen years ago this week: The tragic death of Jennifer Cave, Send hate mail to: TalkocastPO Box 1102Isle of Palms, SC, 29451. I thought, 'Yeah, I'm very aware of that. "Did you have anything to do with the dismemberment of Jennifer's body?" Sharon Sedwick says her daughter, Jennifer Cave, was on Colton's side, too. Jim Sedwick broke into the apartment after the police departed. 'Chrome Underground' Goes Classic Car Hunting, I Live Here I Give Here: Amplify Austin Day. "[14] On February 19, 2009, the Texas Third Court of Appeals ordered re-sentencing. Colton will remain in prison for most of his life after receiving 55 years. For Travis County Prosecutor Bill Bishop, the case is indelible. Pitonyak fled to Mexico with a former girlfriend, Laura Hall. Photo courtesy of Loren Hall Pitonyak had fled with Hall to Mexico, where the couple spent five days before they were picked up by U.S. marshals and returned to Austin. She faces up to 10 years in prison. might have gone off accidentally. According to Fugitt, this is not the first time that this case has been covered but it is the first time that Pitonyak has ever agreed to speak about the incident to the press. She's sentenced to five years. detailing his son's childhood and academic But that portrait of Hall, without her own testimony, was never fully fleshed out.). the saw was too small to cut up a body and reminded jurors that "I'm ready to be acquitted," she says. "It is beyond my Hall is now 34 years old. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2015 denied the request. Because of the D.A. This friend, which police believe was her drug supplier, was named Colton Pitonyak and although a top-marked student at the University of Texas, had some previous arrest for DWI and PCOS (possession of controlled substances.). In 2007, a jury convicted Laura Hall, 34, for helping her boyfriend Colton Pitonyak dismember 21-year-old Cave's body in his apartment's bathtub at the Orange Tree condominiums in August of 2005. have a hair She admits that she saw the body in the bathtub, but claims it was Colton's idea to dismember it. cellphone after he but that it must have been Jury finds former UT student Colton Pitonyak guilty of "knowingly and intentionally" murdering Jennifer Cave, gives him 55 years . He testified that he The murder of Jennifer Cave occurred in the West Campus area of Austin, Texas. "All of a sudden I'm in a courtroom and then they're just taking me into jail. It was Hall who came up with the plan to dismember Cave's body, Pitonyak said, and it was Hall who made a list of items they'd need to complete the job. she was still out with Pitonyak. He told me to get out of there. "We just wanted to expand on that," Butler explained. dismember Jennifer Cave's body during her summation. "And what did she say?" at Burger King. filed another appeal disputing the timeline of the murder, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Colton testifies, "I can't remember exactly what I told her, but I showed her Jennifer's body.". [4] She attended school in Bishop, Texas, before moving to Corpus Christi in 2000. This week marks the 15th anniversary of Caves death, a horrendous crime that still leaves questions: Why did this happen? He was hot. it was hilarious that he went in there," Fernandez testified. In Texas, those sentenced to life are eligible for parole in 30 years. On March 15, 2018, she was released on parole from prison under mandatory supervision,[24] including GPS monitoring, and could not return to Travis County or to make any contact with the Cave family[25][26] until after the end of her prison sentence, which was in August of the same year. Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! "His brain A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austins independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the communitys political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. faces a possible life sentence. have said he is taking He shot her through the arm, bullet traveled into the chest, through the heart pretty much killing her instantly. He'd called her saying he needed to talk. Laura says he's lying and that she had nothing to do with the dismemberment. Next Gallery. Laura continues to fight a current of public rage that she believes was sweeping away her very life. [6] Authorities found that the two had crossed into Mexico on August 18, 2005. And I said, 'What? The reporters were acutely aware of the gravity that came with securing an interview with Pitonyak himself, who is serving his 55-year sentence for murder in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice French M. Robertson Unit maximum security prison, just outside of Abilene. "She's still a part of us.". new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help This podcast isn't a summer project to giddily decode and solve on Reddit, but instead a nuanced and empathetic portrait of the human lives, emotions, and relationships that tragically collided on August 17, 2005. "With all due respect, which one is it? But, as is usually the case with Laura Hall, that was not the end of this story.Colton Pitonyak's attorney, Joe Turner, says Colton did not shoot Jennifer Cave and he doesn't know who did. "The great challenge is to say to them, 'Feel any way you want. Additional evidence, never presented during Pitonyak's murder trial, includes DNA from an unknown female found in Cave's mouth and from under her fingernails. Prosecutors Laura Hall was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her part in the crime and has been released in 2018 after serving her time. Amendment right against Pitonyak was stone-faced during closing arguments. custody by Mexican officials and handed. him guilty We'd just stay in the house all day. "His brain His lawyers say '", "It's hard for listeners to really put themselves in the shoes of someone close to this case," added Thomas, who says these shades of personal perspective were integral to properly telling their story. [4], On the day that Cave's body had been discovered,[9] Colton Pitonyak and Laura Hall escaped from the United States,[1] using Hall's automobile. [1] In 2009, Chuck Lindell of the Austin American-Statesman called it the "most infamous West Campus crime". Texas Rangers Promote First Women to Rank of Captain. At trial, this time with no cameras allowed, the prosecutor outlines Laura's ever-changing account of events. He found Jennifer in the bathtub. Inside, a woman's body lay in the bathtub; her hands and head severed. "He thought 1 of 35. Hall did not testify during her trial, but her attorney, Joe James Sawyer, painted a completely different picture for the jury. Colton quickly realized that he couldnt dispose of the body by himself and called over a friend, Laura Hall, to help him cut up the body. Laura Hall & Colton Pitonyak. The exact time of death could not be determined, but detectives surmise Jennifer was first shot between 1:05 am and 3:30 am. Prosecutors noted that he specified Pedro Fernandez (pictured), the manager of the Casablanca Hotel in Piedras Blancas, took a photo with his [11] Before Hall's re-imprisonment beginning in 2010, she lived in the area around Bandera, Texas, with her parents. Sharon Cave, the victim's mother, broke down as she recalled the "Mistakes were made," he says. We stood right here in [the] hallway. The brown paper bag in Pitonyak's studio apartment led police to Hall was released on parole in 2018 after serving nearly 10 years in prison. What more do you want?" "There's a line we say in the podcast about [Colton's mother] being pretty happy to talk with us, because you can tell that she's wanted to talk about her son for a long time," said Butler. And the other thing you kind of think is, 'Well, there's one. Pitonyak around midnight on Sixth Street, Austin's party Laura Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Colton. Sharon and Jim decided to head to Austin hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. Pitonyak also bought heavy-duty garbage bags, odor eliminator, Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. "All I had was a flashlight. In the bathroom, he discovered Cave's "Trial set for college student accused of slaying, dismembering woman after date. And Bishop says Laura's DNA was found on a key piece of evidence. And they will always remember the child that is gone forever. [14] Cave and Pitonyak went to dinner before Cave was murdered. 'Amazing support': Nevada neighborhood goes blue for police, New Texas DPS promotions include the first 2 female captains in department's history, Cities like Austin that defund police departments will face freeze on property taxes, Gov. apprehension. It was great," she says smiling. I felt that he didn't really do this. "It upsets me tremendously to be in the same room with her and see her flitting about and talking on her cell phone. So just as in Colton's trial, Laura never takes the stand. Cave, who was an Austin legal assistant, was found in Pitonyaks bathtub in his West Campus apartment on Aug. 18, 2005. smelled a bad odor. into Pitonyak's apartment, Cave's, Police found a shell casing in the tub that matched the bullet End quote. 's office will go up against Laura Hall. The jury finds Laura guilty of tampering with evidence, for cutting up Jennifer Cave's body and helping Colton to escape to Mexico. Midway through The Orange Tree's first episode, there's a small moment that is instructive of their approach. "I didn't want to hurt him, which sounds kind of sick Looking back, everything that came out of that man's mouth was a lie or a game or a trick. But according to Pitonyak's lawyer, once during a group therapy session in jail, Laura told other inmates she is in fact the killer. "He answered the door really kind of paranoid and fearful. Pitonyak told the store owner, After just four hours of work, Hall was found guilty of tampering with evidence and sentenced to 10 years in prison. I mean, I wasn't ready to be rational yet," she explains to Maher. Michael Rodriguez, a friend, said he spoke to Cave at 1 a.m. and "I need to cut up a turkey.". he does not remember shooting Cave, Cave was reported missing after not appearing at work the next day, and less than 48 hours after her mother and stepfather arrived from Corpus Christi, her dismembered body was discovered in Pitonyak's apartment. Laura Hall The 3rd Court of Appeals on Feb. 19 overturned the five-year sentence of Laura Ashley Hall, who was convicted of tampering with evidence and helping friend Colton Pitonyak. At least one of Laura Hall's confessions that she had killed Jennifer came only after her initial sentence of 5 years was increased to 10 years on appeal. This photo was taken after Pitonyak fell insisted he didn't know anything. 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