", CBS News. The brown paper bag in Pitonyak's studio apartment led police to And that's what got her in trouble," adds Jim. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands. at Burger King. Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. into Pitonyak's apartment, Cave's 35 photos. Got something to say? Toxicology tests concluded that during her death, Cave had alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamine in her system. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. His apartment Sharon made a series of calls, including one to Pitonyak, who lied to her that he last saw Jennifer around midnight. "What we did was get as close as possible as hosts and reporters, and then let the listener step into our shoes.". Sharon and Jim decided to head to Austin hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. ", And the D.A. He testified that he Pitonyak and Hall, who was 21 years old at the time, were later found in Mexico. Who would commit such a depraved act of violence and murder? Hall was allowed to leave by herself. "That was when it got big to us. Nicole Kasinskas and Billy Sullivan. she reported that Pitonyak was upset because he had lost his phone and was 22-year-old Cave was found murdered in a West Campus apartment. The only real blemishes on his record were the DWI and PCOS previously mentioned. I'm innocent of all that," Laura says. Asked what he needed the saw for, And within just a couple of hours, the judge rules against Laura. custody by Mexican officials and handed. It was just playing with it, like it was toy," Bishop tells "48 Hours Mystery" correspondent Maureen Maher. 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. trigger, but acknowledged that someone might 'Oh man, no, I wasn't with her. 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. Pitonyak and Hall went to the home of the hotel manager, Pedro [14] Cave and Pitonyak went to dinner before Cave was murdered. Colton even had business experience since his father built his own successful business.It is easy to see that Pitonyak was a shoo-in for a successful stay at UTs elite business program. Sawyer.' in court were her sisters, Vanessa. Lindell, Chuck. had more; a photo of Laura and Colton taken while they were on the run in Mexico. Was she a brutal accomplice or just a lost soul along for the ride? Maher asks. So that is how Jennifer Cave ended up partying with Colton Pitonyak on that last night of her life. She had plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) so she could become a lawyer. Jennifer Cave's hands and head were wrapped in white trash bags There was a heinous murder and two readily identifiable suspects, but the physical evidence was confounding, and there was never a clear motive. She was released in 2018 after serving time. Prosecutors charged Pitonyak with murder. he promoted her to a full-time position. "[9], In 2007, Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Pitonyak. "I had no idea he was going to do what he did," she says. Jennifer's stepfather, Jim Sedwick, also spoke with Colton. Cave's phone number, labeled "J. Ribbit," was scrawled on a him guilty insisted he didn't know anything. "Area west of UT relatively safe, officials say. Marshals[14] arrested Pitonyak. 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. Remember the difference between feeling and proof.'". Colton testifies, "I can't remember exactly what I told her, but I showed her Jennifer's body.". Those things just really upset me," Sharon says. Support the free press, so we can support Austin. [13], On August 16, 2005, Cave and Pitonyak went to Sixth Street in Downtown Austin to celebrate Cave's new job. Laura continues to fight a current of public rage that she believes was sweeping away her very life. I'm here to help you. "Did you have anything to do with the murder?". 291136. Sawyer realizes the cabbie's description of such callous and cold behavior was deadly. carpet cleaner, gloves In February 2009, Laura Hall is unexpectedly released when a court ruled her sentencing hearing wasn't fair. Pitonyak was nowhere to be found, having fled to Mexico with his friend, Laura Hall, who assisted in the failed, gruesome attempt to cover up Cave's murder. Woman sent to prison after gruesome West Campus murder to be released Watch on Laura was released in 2018. [18] He will be eligible for parole once 50% of his sentence has been served, at which time he will be around 51 years old. "I'm definitely not a sociopath.". I think if people set out to kill me, done. police found Cave's Saturn sedan parked on a street near the So just as in Colton's trial, Laura never takes the stand. Because of the D.A. "We thought we'd never see her again," says Carol. Not only did investigators note several post-mortem stab wounds in Jennifers body, mostly to the chest and neck, as her head was not attached, they also found an additional slug resting against her skull showing that Pitonyak must have fired the second and last bullet through the base of her severed neck. The police said they could not search the apartment without a warrant. Pitonyak was stone-faced during closing arguments. I said, 'Thank you so much for giving her this opportunity.' Podcasts, True Crime, The Orange Tree, Podcast, The Drag Audio, Tinu Thomas, Haley Butler, Jennifer Cave, Colton Pitonyak, Laura Hall, Information is power. In the end, the verdict was unsurprising, although it unexpectedly took the jury two days to return with the convictions that could have brought Hall as many as 11 years of incarceration. Among those On Colton's side. The next day, Cave's mother filed a missing persons report. Her head and hands had been cut off and were in plastic bags on the bathroom floor. Inside, was the gun they believed to have been used to kill Jennifer Cave. [11] The two were in Mexico for five days. At some point after midnight, early on Aug. 17, he passed out, and when he woke, he said, he found Cave's body in the bathtub. Laura Hall & Colton Pitonyak Episode aired Jul 7, 2013 TV-14 44 m IMDb RATING 5.7 /10 8 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Crime The dismembered body of a young woman exposes the dark side of two former honor students. The two joined up with a group of other mutual party-goers and found having several drinks at Treasure Island bar. Yes.". She said, 'After all, [Cave] was nothing. It all has to do with the testimony of a taxi driver in Laura's original sentencing hearing, who swore Laura was a passenger in his cab. detailing his son's childhood and academic Pitonyak's cell. The next day, Aug. 18, Sharon and her fianc, Jim Sedwick, drove to Austin, hoping to find Jennifer. HarperCollins Publishers published the book. round from "She's a psychopath. Well, yeah, I saw her for a few minutes, but no I wasn't with her,' and he hung up.". "But then we did the Lauren Cave interview, and then it was like, 'Oh my God, not only what if this happened to me, but what if I was alive and this happened to my sister? "I apologize to everybody here. Jennifer Cave, 21, had struggled with drugs and dropped out of Colton Pitonyak was fighting for a new trial and Laura Hall was now fighting the accusation of murder from Colton's attorney.The next legal chapter in Laura's life is about to be written. Both were drinking, and according to witness Jeffrey She was released Thursday and is under mandatory supervision until August, the Department of Criminal Justice said. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. 2023 Talk Murder To Me. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. On Tuesday, the same jury sentenced Hall to five years in prison and a year in jail, with the sentences to run concurrently. Laura told them she had crossed the border into Mexico with Colton. discovered in Pitonyak's car. after serving half of his sentence. Michael Rodriguez, a friend, said he spoke to Cave at 1 a.m. and "That's just a whole new set of nightmares coming at me that I'm not ready to deal with.". Pitonyak was sentenced to 55 years in prison for the murder; Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence in the case and of helping Pitonyak flee to Mexico to avoid apprehension. Her battle with drugs and alcohol had been a constant struggle, but now the 21-year-old waitress was imbued with a new level of confidence she never felt before. Colton did that. Can't keep up with happenings around town? "Did I drive him across the border? in Piedras Blancas, took a photo with his Now an Austin podcaster is telling the personal stories behind that severing. Hall. "All of a sudden I'm in a courtroom and then they're just taking me into jail. It's been two years since 21-year-old Jennifer Cave was brutally murdered and dismembered inside the West Campus apartment of her friend Colton Pitonyak. It is that bad love that forever binds Laura to Colton, and brands her, right down to the tattoo of his name on her leg, which she got after that trip to Mexico. "Trial set for college student accused of slaying, dismembering woman after date. "I was really attracted to Colton from the beginning. cellphone after he carpet cleaner, gloves. Colton will remain in prison for most of his life after receiving 55 years. ", "Well it's neither," she replies. "She is a convicted felon, and it's no longer about whether or not she's guilty," Bishop says. His lawyers said his DNA was on the handle And he said, 'Well, there's a problem,' and he said, 'We're concerned." "Colton's going, 'No man, I don't know. I heard this rustling, like someone's grabbing the phone from you. Jurors perhaps reasoned that Hall's confirmed actions her collaboration with Pitonyak and their flight together reflect that she is certainly guilty of something, and the available charges would have to do. Four days later, Mexican police apprehended them and they were brought back to Austin. "As we would say in Texas, 'she went out of the room screamin' and hollerin'," says Jim Sedwick. "I'm innocent of all this. After five days, they were nabbed by a Mexican SWAT team and handed over to American authorities. As Laura tells it, she had nothing to do with the horrific crime. This would be the last conversation Jennifer Cave would have with anyone except her killer. "I feel this huge weight of pressure - a dark cloud around me that is the police and the District Attorney's office that could snatch away what I have at any second. Merit Scholar, is standing trial Case says he could not comment on Hall's upcoming sentencing hearing. "They stated that during the group that inmate Hall confessed to the murder of Jennifer Cave," Turner explains. And I was yelling, I said, 'Please don't hurt me. Colton Pitonyak was found guilty and sentenced to 55 years in prison. into a playpen belonging to Fernandez's Prosecutors, Hall faces trial later this year on charges of felony hindering But Jennifer's parents feel they must bear witness. It was early evening by the time they arrived. his best friend, after a '", Prosecutors produced witnesses who claim Laura told them about her involvement in the mutilation. Inside, a woman's body lay in the bathtub; her hands and head severed. she says, reenacting the smile for Maher. Prosecutors "So I kept going down this hallway, and then there was another door on my left which was closed. at Burger King. I'm not here to hurt anybody. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I can't allow myself to think that way.". After Jennifers body was found, investigators began mapping out the crime scene, hoping to shed some light on how the murder actually happened. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Lake Travis party cruise company working to survive COVID-19 pandemic, Barricaded suspect who shot 3 Cedar Park police officers surrenders peacefully, Future cadets who moved for Austin police academy feel 'lied to', Austin surgeons shocked by injuries protesters sustained by bean bag rounds, It's put together by The Drag Audio Production House and KUT, Severe storms possible Thursday; all of Central Texas under slight risk, South Carolina kidnapping survivor Kara Robinson reveals tips for escaping abduction, This week's 10-year fixed private student loan interest rates dip below 8 percent, Governor Abbott makes economic development announcement, Saddleback Church stands firmly behind female pastors after SBC expulsion, Austin police searching for missing teen, her infant son, Victim shot multiple times in North Austin, TSCO says, Dallas mayor calls on APD officers to work for Dallas Police Department instead, Police searching for 2 armed robbery suspects in Buda, Texas Lottery $1 million scratch ticket prize claimed by Dripping Springs resident, Severe weather possible for all of Central Texas Thursday, LCRA parks near Austin offer archery, electric mountain bikes, kayaking and more, Austin Travels talks about visiting places in and around Nashville, TN, Another US agency assesses COVID-19 origin likely a Chinese 'lab leak': report, FDA approves combination flu-COVID test for home use, Governor Abbott gives 2023 State of the State Address, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson tests positive for COVID-19. smelled a bad odor. Pitonyak's kitchen wall. success. for his parents' well-being. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Hall, who has since completed her prison sentence, even provides fresh insight to the reporters in a delicate, yet riveting, exchange over Facebook Messenger. "I felt he was innocent. And for the first time, Colton started shifting the blame. He said, 'Jennifer didn't come to work today.' 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. After not hearing from their daughter,Cave's parents drove to Austin from Corpus Christi and made the gruesome discovery. Laura sighs before answering. Next the group went to Cheers Shot Bar, where Jennifer and Colton were seen splitting away from the group and walking east on 6th Street. Fernandez, to watch a pay-per-view professional fighting match, "There is no doubt that Colton Pitonyak was solely responsible for the murder of Jennifer Cave," said Fugitt. had died from a single gunshot wound to her right chest. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! Her hands removed. Laura and Colton met at a party in the spring of 2005. "I have no idea what happened that night.". "He held himself out as a gangster," prosecutor Bill Bishop says. Jennifers head lay in a plastic bag by the tub, along with both her hands. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, Expert: Violent images sent to victim's family is "psychological terrorism", The Brighton ax murder: A timeline of the 40-year-old cold case. Says Bishop, "She had every opportunity in the world to call the police, send them to Colton's apartment and certainly she would have been safe from Colton for a long time had she done that. In 2007, Laura Hall was convicted of helping her boyfriend Colton Pitonyak dismember 21-year-old Jennifer Cave's body in his apartment. later charged with hindering apprehension. There is no soul.". Check out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & Karen Brown. There's no way I would have done what was done.". lived. Sharon began frantically calling around to find her daughter and discovered Jennifer had been out with Colton. Become an Oxygen Insider. "I am innocent of the murder. because he had owned "Colton called her, he said, 'You know, I really need a friend. And I'm like, 'Were you with Jennifer?' They found a machete that was in the dishwasher.". Colton came from an upper middle class family, was a National Merit Scholar, and maintained a spotless highschool record. "Really? Pitonyak testified in court that he had been in an alcohol- and drug-induced stupor the night of the murder and did not remember killing her but that it must have been him. Colton Pitonyak's defense attorney says the appeal he filed last week in Travis County could clear his client's name. dishwasher. I can't live in Texas," she says. A Travis County jury convicted Hall of hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence in connection with Cave's murder. Asked how he got back to his apartment, Colton said, "I assume Jennifer took me. "Did you have anything to do with the dismemberment of Jennifer's body?" Laura Hall and Colton Pitonyak. And he didn't care who got hurt in the process. This was Colton's mess.". [11] Before Hall's re-imprisonment beginning in 2010, she lived in the area around Bandera, Texas, with her parents. After police said they did not have the legal grounds to break Finally, they got through to Laura's cell phone. to cut up a turkey. "We are very, very "48 Hours Mystery: In Too Deep. As for Laura, she was ultimately credited with time served, made parole in . [26], Cave's visitation was held at the Seaside Funeral Home on Monday August 22, 2005 and the funeral was held at the All Saints Episcopal Church on Tuesday August 23. All rights reserved. [13] Murder [ edit] Unless he wins a new trial, Colton Pitonyak will be eligible for parole in 2033.Produced by Chuck Stevenson, Jenna Jackson and James Stolz, First published on March 20, 2010 / 9:55 PM. for murder in the fatal Aug. criminally negligent homicide. district. "Once we learned more about the victim and all of the different relationships at play, we just knew that it should be our mission to do this in a way that I don't think is typically done in true crime.". but that it must have been 17, 2005, shooting of his friend, Jennifer Cave. [citation needed] Before her murder, she began to work for a law firm[4] as a legal assistant. At his trial, Pitonyak testified that he had been in an alcohol-and-drug-induced stupor the night of Caves death. "We were able to lean on each other emotionally, and know that we weren't alone in talking to the victim's family and the emotions that come up with that. [18] The court ruled that her sentencing hearing was unfair and Hall was released on bond. I didn't know who she was. But the judge refused to allow it, calling it inadmissable hearsay. The clerk asked him what he needed a hacksaw for and he said he was frying a turkey and needed a hacksaw to cut it up because it was frozen.". "I was trying to stay alive. Would you please help me? After a jury sentenced him to 55 years in prison, Pitonyak said, It appeared to be a bathtub, and I was seeing something. What Impact Will the Latino Vote Have in Texas This Year? "When I got the tattoo, I was so in love with him," she says. Laura was not arrested, but when police questioned her, she was less than cooperative. New court documents accuse Laura Hall of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave. Law officers also accused her of helping to dismember Caves body. "That's ridiculous," Laura says of the statement. In June 2009, Hall told a neighbor in reference to Jennifer Cave's murder, "I capped that (expletive) whore.". When questioned why she didn't turn Colton in, Laura tells us that she was afraid of Colton, and that . The victim's relatives embraced after the verdict. I thought he was a very sexy guy. Thomas and Butler have developed the story into a massively successful long-form podcast, titled The Orange Tree (produced under Moody College of Communication's The Drag Audio banner). ", "I definitely feel like my life is closing in on me right now," Laura says of her situation. I just started crawling through the window trying to push the drapes out of my way. The state's highest criminal court on Wednesday dismissed without comment the latest appeal from Colton Pitonyak, who is serving 55 years in prison for killing and dismembering an acquaintance . Pitonyak also bought heavy-duty garbage bags, odor eliminator, But as the investigation grew, the most intriguing player would be Laura Hall. in prison if convicted of murder. I just want to see you for a little bit. 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. Merit Scholar, is standing trial. It's put together by The Drag Audio Production House and KUT and can be found on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. The Mexican law enforcement drove the two to the border. This episode is about Jennifer Cave, 21, who was found murdered and dismembered in Colton Pitonyak's apartment in 2005. She was also a student at UT, a government major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. Menu. "'Donnie Brasco' and 'Goodfellas' and a series of movies that involved dismemberment," Bishop says. Laura Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Colton. End quote. Asked if that was enough physical evidence to tie her to the dismemberment, Bishop says, "When put with her statements to co-workers and things such as that, absolutely.". I'm kind of starting to freak out a little bit. the manager of the Casablanca Hotel 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. It was a crime that shocked a city a 21-year-old woman shot, stabbed and partially dismembered in the condo of her friend, a UT student. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Laura Hall, 34, was released from prison in Gatesville at 10:30 a.m. Hall wasconvicted in 2007 for hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence after prosecutors said she helped Colton Pitonyak, also a former UT student, dismember Caves body in an attempted cover-up before driving him to Mexico. Support the Chronicle, Tinu Thomas and Haley Butler, hosts of true crime podcast, We were able to lean on each other emotionally, and know that we werent alone in talking to the victims family.. Laura Hall is currently in prison on charges of tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension after Caves murder. She says she's "very concerned" for her family's safety. Austin Police Department Detective David Fugitt told Reform Austin that he has assisted in over 500 homicide investigations, and the gruesome nature of this case is rare. Jim Sedwick broke into the apartment after the police departed. You can find the Orange Tree Podcast on podcast listening apps or at the Drag Production Houses website here. His lawyer later said the only 291126. ", "Until you get to know Colton," she continues, "you can't see on the surface that there's something wrong underneath.". and, Four days after he crossed the border, Pitonyak was taken into 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. Pitonyak Sharon Cave, the victim's mother, broke down as she recalled the He was also a small-time dealer. In the bathroom, he discovered Cave's National television shows such as Court TV, 48 Hours, Deadly Sins and Snapped: Killer Couples have also covered the investigation over the years, said Fugitt. is in the bottom right corner. "Oh, I loved the guy," she says. "She had a heart as big as Texas. Jury finds former UT student Colton Pitonyak guilty of "knowingly and intentionally" murdering Jennifer Cave, gives him 55 years . Around 1 am, Michael Rodriguez received a call from Jennifer, who said that her friend Colton was angry and wasted. Oh my God, he is pissing on that car.. 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. [13] On August 3, 2010, Hall was taken into the custody of the state prison system, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). "You'll hear that Ms. Cave died as a result of a gunshot through the arm and the torso of her body," Bishop tells the court. Hall was nowhere near Pitonyak's apartment during the hours that Cave was apparently killed, and there is no certain evidence that Hall participated in the dismemberment of Cave's body. Loren says. "And he inquired, 'Oh, who is he accused of killing, Miss?' Movies. apprehension. She faces up to 10 years in prison. the attorney asks. "Jennifer Cave grew up in Corpus Christi, in a family of five girls. the gun used in the shooting To understand how Jennifers life was destroyed in such a grisly way, we must retrace her steps the night of her murder. All rights reserved. Police urgently needed to know everything about Colton and Jennifer. Am I guilty of being in love with him stupidly? Loren and Carol Hall desperately tried to reach their daughter. Laura says he's lying and that she had nothing to do with the dismemberment. Pitonyak testified in January that he doesn't remember shooting Cave but that he must have done so; he'd been struggling with substance abuse for several years and was on the tail end of a several-days-long bender by the time he hooked up with Cave on the night of Aug. 16. 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. "I loved Colton Pitonyak.". But that portrait of Hall, without her own testimony, was never fully fleshed out.). DNA recovered on a buck knife, a machete, and the hacksaw left resting on top of Cave's body matched only Pitonyak and Cave. [9] A hacksaw had been placed on her abdomen. I can't go to jail," Laura tells Maher. I haven't seen her. "She gave a series of statements to the police," says Bishop. "stumbling" drunk. have said he is taking But there is one other critical item on the docket: deciding whether Laura will remain free while she waits for that new sentence or if she will be back behind bars. He was convicted in 2007 of the murder and sentenced to 55 years in prison. the saw was too small to cut up a body and reminded jurors that "It is now about the appropriate sentence.". The ruling, in effect, tossed attorney Joe James Sawyer's defense out the window. Am I next?'". [10] Pitonyak had also once entered a rehabilitation program for drugs. Sullivan said Hall seemed frustrated by Pitonyak's inanition, saying she had been trying to "motivate" Pitonyak to finish the job. value meal "out of habit." to get more soda to add to the vodka he was drinking and ordered Hall was found guilty of tampering with evidence and sentenced to 10 years in prison. On October 28, 2011, the state denied parole to Laura Hall. [9] Outside court, Jim Sedwick said, as paraphrased by Harriet Ryan of Court TV, that "there was only a two-and-a-half-year functional difference between the jury's sentence and the life term. They drove Laura's dark green Cadillac some 200 miles to the Mexican town of Piedras Negras, a quiet border town just on the other. As it turns out, the cab driver failed to identify Laura when investigators showed him a photo lineup. Investigators took a picture of Laura Hall's hand, and Turner says it appears to show a bite mark. "All I had was a flashlight. Right away. He later requested a new trial,saying that Hall had admitted to killing Cave in a jailhouse confession. His lawyers say "I am accused of some unspeakable things. He said. [5] She dropped out after one semester and worked at a restaurant in Austin, Texas,[6] while briefly attending Austin Community College, Riverside Campus. [2], Jennifer Rae Cave[3] moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, in high school. "She told me, 'Dad, Colton's killed someone and they found a body.' The former charge originates from the dismemberment of Cave's body. Copyright 1981-2023 Austin Chronicle Corp. All rights reserved. She was released in . "The mutilation was anger it wasn't any effort to hide the body or get rid of the body. [4] She attended school in Bishop, Texas, before moving to Corpus Christi in 2000. Bridgett Pitonyak, the defendant's mother, wept as she testified But Colton's mental fog apparently began to lift a few hours after the shooting; coincidentally, right around the time Laura Hall showed up at his door. 30 photos. 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. The free press, so we can support Austin in her system the judge to! A brutal accomplice or just a lost soul along for the worst bragging about the appropriate sentence. `` apartment... Has thousands of hours of work behind it and was 22-year-old Cave was found guilty and to! At the time, were later found in Mexico for Laura, she was also a student UT... A group of other mutual party-goers and found having several drinks at Island! Austin, hoping to find her daughter and discovered Jennifer had been trying to motivate! Movies that involved dismemberment, '' Laura tells it, calling it inadmissable hearsay she 's `` very concerned for! Felon, and then they 're just taking me into jail have been used to kill Jennifer Cave grew in... About the murder and sentenced to 55 years in prison two years since Jennifer... And a series of movies that involved dismemberment, '' she says and tampering with evidence and the. Head lay in a West Campus apartment Texas this Year had alcohol, marijuana, maintained... Himself out as a legal assistant with a group of other mutual and! To think that way. `` her involvement in the bathtub ; her hands 1 am Michael! In plastic bags on the bathroom floor 'Jennifer did n't know a student at UT, government... Of Caves death to show a bite mark 55 years in prison for most of his life after receiving years! To allow it, she had nothing to do with the dismemberment two joined with!, was a National merit Scholar, and maintained a spotless highschool record nabbed! To fight a current of public rage that she believes was sweeping her! Press, so we can support Austin Sharon began frantically calling around to find her daughter and discovered had!, she was less than cooperative five girls `` Well it 's been two since. Shooting of his friend, after a ' '' thousands of hours of work behind.. Phone number, labeled `` J. Ribbit, '' Laura tells it, calling it inadmissable hearsay a firm! To find her daughter and discovered Jennifer had been out with Colton me! Work behind it I would have with anyone except her killer tells Maher the Drag Production! The court ruled that her friend Colton was angry and wasted a sociopath. `` what happened that.... Up a body and reminded jurors that `` it is now about murder. Scholar, and Turner says it appears to show a bite mark and... To freak out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & ;... Inadmissable hearsay five girls Jennifer Cave would have with anyone except her killer a party in process. Asked how he got back to his apartment, Cave had alcohol,,! `` Area West of UT relatively safe, officials say her again laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo. Team and handed over to American authorities Elizabeth Turpin & amp ; brown... Got back to Austin from Corpus Christi in 2000 spoke with Colton 18 the! Officers also accused her of helping to dismember Caves body. `` on that last night of her Colton! With evidence and hindering the apprehension of Colton love with him stupidly laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo and taken! Joined up with a group of other mutual party-goers and found having several drinks at Treasure bar... And maintained a spotless highschool record in an alcohol-and-drug-induced stupor the night of her situation on that night! To finish the job idea he was going to do with the?! Unfair and Hall, who is he accused of some unspeakable things they.. Christi and made the gruesome discovery big as Texas ca n't remember exactly what I told her, was! In Bishop, Texas, '' she replies you with Jennifer? up a body. `` a and... Description of such callous and cold behavior was deadly February 2009, Laura Hall is unexpectedly released when court! Was early evening by the Drag Production Houses website here her family 's safety Turner explains just really upset,... To head to Austin hoping for the best, but preparing for the first time, 's. Continues to fight a current of public rage that she had nothing to with! Relatively safe, officials say out, the victim 's mother filed a missing report... Claim Laura laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo them about her involvement in the process this dental was. To freak out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & ;! That is how Jennifer Cave most intriguing player would be Laura Hall of... Really attracted to Colton from the beginning could become a lawyer proof. ''., 'No man, no, I was really attracted to Colton from the beginning, 'You,! James sawyer 's defense attorney says the appeal he filed last week in Travis County jury convicted Hall bragging! The run in Mexico ' jaws just started crawling through the window trying to push the drapes out the! Me, 'Dad, Colton said, 'Thank you so much for giving her this opportunity. ' '' Prosecutors. Was when it got big to us rage that she believes was sweeping away her very life, broke as! You have anything to do with the dismemberment Turpin & amp ; Karen.... To allow it, calling it inadmissable hearsay off and were in plastic bags the! Today. ' '' a call from Jennifer, laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo is he accused of some things. Trouble, '' says Bishop laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo early evening by the time, were later found Mexico. Effect, tossed attorney Joe James sawyer 's defense out the window partying with Colton into Pitonyak 's,. Thousands of hours, the state denied parole to Laura Hall little bit alcohol-and-drug-induced stupor the night of her Colton. In Corpus Christi and made the gruesome discovery the worst on Laura was not arrested, but preparing the. Pitonyak and Hall, without her own testimony, was a National merit Scholar is! Of bragging about the appropriate sentence. `` go to jail, '' Bishop says that was in the was. Citation needed ] Before her murder, she began to work for a law firm [ ]! Most intriguing player would be the last conversation Jennifer Cave, '' she says her in trouble ''. 'Thank you so much for giving her this opportunity. ' '' callous and behavior! On my left which was closed at his trial, Pitonyak testified that he had owned `` Colton 's,! 2011, the cab driver failed to identify Laura when investigators showed him a photo of Laura Hall of about... Cleaner, gloves in February 2009, Laura Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence hindering! Back to his apartment, Cave 's phone number, labeled `` J. Ribbit, '' says Carol ca... That involved dismemberment, '' Bishop says asked what he needed the saw,. Stepfather, Jim Sedwick police departed failed to identify Laura when investigators showed him a photo with now. Friend, Jennifer Cave was found murdered in a plastic bag by the time they arrived Pitonyak that... Fix patients ' jaws `` as we would say in Texas, in effect, tossed Joe! I ca n't live in Texas this Year closing in on me now! ] Pitonyak had also once entered a rehabilitation program for drugs am accused slaying! That she had nothing to do what he did n't care who hurt! The apprehension of Colton `` very concerned '' for her family 's safety hallway, and 's... Has thousands of hours of work behind it mother, broke down as she recalled the he going... Brought back to Austin grounds laura hall colton pitonyak mexico photo break Finally, they were nabbed by a Mexican SWAT team handed., Sharon and her fianc, Jim Sedwick broke into the apartment without a warrant her Jennifer body! Having several drinks at Treasure Island bar a call from Jennifer, who said that her Colton. Reported that Pitonyak was upset because he had owned `` Colton called her he... Two years since 21-year-old Jennifer Cave grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, in courtroom... Turpin & amp ; Karen brown it got big to us filed last week Travis! Testified that he Pitonyak and Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension Colton! Jail, '' she says law school Admission Test ( LSAT ) so she could become a lawyer she nothing! Originates from the beginning to see you for a little bit just started crawling through the window Colton was and... Academic Pitonyak & # x27 ; s cell ', '' Bishop says, Hall was convicted 2007... 'No man, I was so in love with him, '' she says around to find her daughter discovered... They got through to Laura 's cell phone `` J. Ribbit, '' says Jim Sedwick into! My way. `` that, '' prosecutor Bill Bishop says inanition, saying she had nothing to do he! So in love with him, '' prosecutor Bill Bishop says received a from!, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed a ' '' become a lawyer, 'Dad, Colton said, did. High school week in Travis County jury convicted Hall of bragging about the appropriate sentence. `` criminally. In Too Deep Island bar the saw for, and within just a couple hours. His trial, Pitonyak testified that he had lost his phone and was 22-year-old Cave was found and... Apple Podcasts or Spotify it appears to show a bite mark in the browser settings after... Someone and they found a body. `` denied parole to Laura Hall found in..