EDNA, Texas — Authorities have revealed new information about the man arrested in connection with the stabbing death of 16-year-old high school cheerleader Lizbeth Medina in Edna, Texas. Rafael Govea Romero, a 23-year-old undocumented immigrant with an expired visa, is currently booked in the Jackson County Jail, facing capital murder charges.
Romero was apprehended over the weekend in Schulenberg, Texas, approximately an hour northwest of Edna. Prior to his arrest, the police released photos of a person of interest, believed to be Romero, wearing a black ‘Volcom’ hooded sweatshirt. He was seen driving a silver Ford Taurus, manufactured between 2010 and 2018.
Law enforcement officials have reported that items of evidence linking Romero to the murder were seized from the silver Taurus, without revealing specific details about the evidence involved. Authorities have also confirmed that Lizbeth Medina was stabbed to death.
Romero has been granted a $2 million bond, while investigators continue to work towards determining any potential connection or relationship between the victim and the suspect.
Lizbeth’s family, who spoke to our sister station KTRK, stated that they do not recognize Romero. Her mother, Jacqueline Medina, discovered her daughter’s lifeless body in their apartment on December 5th. Recalling Lizbeth’s absence from the town’s Lighted Christmas Parade, where she was scheduled to perform with her cheerleading squad, Jacqueline sensed that something was amiss and hurried home. The devastated mother called the police upon making the gruesome discovery, but despite the efforts of first responders, Lizbeth was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jacqueline Medina reminisced about Lizbeth’s vibrant personality, describing her as bubbly, happy, and funny. Lizbeth was not only her daughter but also her friend as they faced life together. Reflecting on their bond, Jacqueline emotionally declared, It was just her and I against the world, and they took her from me.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Lizbeth’s family with funeral expenses.
Edna, a modest town with a population of nearly 6,000 residents, resides in Jackson County, approximately 100 miles southwest of Houston. As authorities aim to uncover the motives behind this tragic incident, the community mourns the loss of an aspiring young cheerleader whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.
