Mom Finds Little Teen Girl in Bathtub Stabbed Dead, Still in PJs

As Jacqueline Medina leaves for work, she wakes her daughter, who has plans for the day. 

Jacqueline's cheerleading squad is meeting at Edna High School for practice, ahead of the Christmas parade planned for the afternoon. Jacqueline Medina arrives at the parade, excited to see her daughter perform, but Lizbeth is not with the rest of the cheerleaders in the parade. Friends confirmed they hadn't seen Lizbeth in the parade either. In fact, no one had heard from Lizbeth 

Worried, Jacqueline starts calling her daughter’s cell phone. The calls go straight to voicemail.  Jacqueline Medina heads home, to the apartment the two of them share.  When Medina gets home, the door is unlocked. Inside, nothing seems out of place. When Jacqueline goes into the bathroom, she pulls back the shower curtain, finding Lizbeth Medina, unconscious.

The search for a suspect begins. The day after Lizbeth Medina’s murder, Edna police released surveillance photos of a person and a vehicle of interest. The bearded male in the photo is wearing a black Volcom hooded sweatshirt and he is seen driving a silver Ford Taurus.

Two days after the murder of Lizbeth Medina, Edna Police announced an arrest.  The suspect is a 23-year-old "undocumented" migrant, thought to have been living in the USA for the last 5 years. His name is Rafael Govea Romero. He was captured about 75 miles north of Edna in Schulenburg, Texas, where he reportedly has family.  

Romero is jailed on suspicion of capital murder. KPRC reports his bond is set at $2 million. Edna Police Chief Rick Boone says items missing from Lizbeth Medina's apartment were found in Romero's possession. 

Police say Romero confessed to the murder.    

Joining Nancy Grace Today:

• Nicole Deborde Hochglaube – Criminal Defense Lawyer, Houston; Former Prosecutor; Twitter: @debordelaw
• Caryn L. Stark – Psychologist, Renowned TV and Radio Trauma Expert and Consultant; Instagram: carynpsych/FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice
• Chris McDonough – Director At the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective; Host of YouTube channel: “The Interview Room”
• Dr. Todd M. Barr –  Board-certified Anatomic/Clinical/Forensic Pathologist, Featured in “Thin Places: Essays From In Between” by Jordan Kisner
• Elaine Aradillas– Senior Crime Reporter at The Messenger; Twitter: @elaineja, Instagram: @the_elaineja

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