So you kind of want to know, who came in here and did this? We wanted to add some perspective on the victims life, and thats not typically done in true crime podcasts, said Butler. [2] Bill Bishop, a prosecutor in the Travis County, Texas government, said "As far as murders go, this is a very clean murder. "There was a dead woman curled up in his bathtub. lived. Cave, the young woman he considered, About 12 hours after he shot Cave, Pitonyak stopped for a meal but he did lay the blame on his friend, 23-year-old Laura Hall . Dismemberment of a human corpse is also rare.. After her death, she had been shot in the head once. I heard this rustling, like someone's grabbing the phone from you. "Oh, I loved the guy," she says. Laura told them she had crossed the border into Mexico with Colton. They found a machete that was in the dishwasher.". Got something to say? Loren says. on her son's behalf. [7] He was a National Merit Scholar,[9] and in 2000, Pitonyak was one of seven senior finalists at his high school and one of 166 senior finalists in the state. In the end, Detective Mark Gilchrest finally gets Laura to give up the gruesome details. [2], Jennifer Rae Cave[3] moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, in high school. The relatively light sentence, after an emotional appeal from Hall's father, suggests that the delay in reaching a verdict reflected some division in the jurors' judgment of Hall's culpability. Jail, Henrietta Langenbach, held on a fraud charge. "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. It was just playing with it, like it was a toy. Colton will remain in prison for most of his life after receiving 55 years. 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. Sharon Cave, the victim's mother, broke down as she recalled the This week marks the 15th anniversary of Caves death, a horrendous crime that still leaves questions: Why did this happen? Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. Whereas some true-crime anthologies might barrel headlong toward the most gruesome, shocking detail, Thomas and Butler underline their reporting philosophy upfront. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! 17, 2005, shooting of his friend, Jennifer Cave. Eddie Pitonyak, the defendant's father, read a statement 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. 0:00. ", Three days later, Laura was questioned again. "Even looked like the floors had been mopped. college. We'd just stay in the house all day. Furthermore, the new witness states that Laura told him that she made the list of items for Colton to buy at the hardware store, and that she alone dismembered the body of Jennifer Cave. Pitonyak around midnight on Sixth Street, Austin's party Investigators said Hall helped to dismember Cave's body. [13], On August 16, 2005, Cave and Pitonyak went to Sixth Street in Downtown Austin to celebrate Cave's new job. But before police could question Pitonyak, he and another UT student, Laura Hall, fled to Mexico. ", Sadeghi, Chris. His lawyers say [17] On Monday, January 29, 2007 Pitonyak, then 24, was convicted of murder. We stood right here in [the] hallway. She was also a student at UT, a government major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. Pitonyak fled to Mexico with a former girlfriend, Laura Hall. but Fernandez kicked them out after Pitonyak became belligerent from the Police also found a machete and hacksaw with blood on it nearby. 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. There is no doubt that Colton Pitonyak was solely responsible for the murder of Jennifer Cave, said Fugitt. She is to be sent back to jail. Jennifer Cave was on track to putting her life back in order. I'm not here to hurt anybody. '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. She says she's "very concerned" for her family's safety. Panicked, he called Hall. Prosecutor Stephanie McFarland holds the hacksaw used to "Did I drive him across the border? Walking past the West Campus complex on their way to classes at UT-Austin, their conversations would inevitably circle back to the murder of Jennifer Cave, which occurred mere yards away, behind door #88. Merit Scholar, is standing trial Please leave me alone," she quoted him as saying. "There's no question the most volatile component in this case is that people are going to be repulsed by what happened to Jennifer Cave," Sawyer says. and face masks at the store. Hall was released from her 10 year sentence five months early in 2018 while Pitonyak will not be eligible for parole until 2033, according to the KXAN report. Both were drinking, and according to witness Jeffrey The Orange Tree podcast has gained national acclaim. After a jury sentenced him to 55 years in prison, Pitonyak said, She had plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) so she could become a lawyer. But Jim and Sharon Sedwick, Jennifer's parents, weren't surprised by these latest accusations, because Laura Hall had frightened them since the first minute they saw her. He was arrested for possession of illegal drugs. He'd called her saying he needed to talk. He successfully removed the head and both hands before stopping. When Jennifer Cave walked out of the local law firm newly employed, she was ecstatic. Laura Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Colton. Colton Pitonyak testified he has no memory of killing Jennifer "Not that big of a deal," Butler recalled. But that portrait of Hall, without her own testimony, was never fully fleshed out.). Police urgently needed to know everything about Colton and Jennifer. There was a heinous murder and two readily identifiable suspects, but the physical evidence was confounding, and there was never a clear motive. But according to Pitonyak's lawyer, once during a group therapy session in jail, Laura told other inmates she is in fact the killer. self-incrimination and refused to testify for Pitonyak's defense. Support the free press, so we can support Austin. And that's when I said, 'Man, you need to turn yourself in,' and he goes, 'Your daughter had nothing to do with this. cellphone after he Laura says Colton had been drinking and says he didn't remember what had happened. It was the post-murder behavior that made it so grotesque. [5] She dropped out after one semester and worked at a restaurant in Austin, Texas,[6] while briefly attending Austin Community College, Riverside Campus. 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. "We are very, very [11], On August 23, 2005, Colton Pitonyak was charged with murder. 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. In the bathroom, he discovered Cave's Well, yeah, I saw her for a few minutes, but no I wasn't with her,' and he hung up.". When questioned why she didn't turn Colton in, Laura tells us that she was afraid of Colton, and that . Director Gregory Kohn Stars Robert Ivkovic Laura Fraker (uncredited) See production, box office & company info Watch on Bravo Now Podcast Revisits Gruesome Texas Murder, Including Rare Interview. She insisted he could not have purposefully The next afternoon, Jennifer's mother, Sharon Cave, got a phone call in Corpus Christi from Jennifer's new employer, who told her Jennifer had never arrived at work that morning. He admitted he had killed her but that her death had been an accident. "'Donnie Brasco' and 'Goodfellas' and a series of movies that involved dismemberment," Bishop says. The next day, Cave's mother filed a missing persons report. "I'm innocent of all this. The Mexican law enforcement drove the two to the border. On the advice of her lawyer, she never took the stand at Colton's trial. Motoreum's Yusuf & Antonio talk about the biz and their reality TV debut, One click gets you all the newsletters listed below, Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. "You'll hear after her death she was dismembered. 48 Hours In Too Deep: Laura Hall. 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. "I loved Colton Pitonyak.". He's got my daughter," Loren Hall recalls thinking at the time. "We're really getting scared that something bad has happened inside that apartment," says Jim. 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. Jennifer Cave's family hopes Laura gets even more time behind bars. Check out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & Karen Brown. Amendment right against And he said, 'Yeah, I'm afraid it could be.'". She had plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) so she could become a lawyer. I could not believe it," she recalls. [21][22], In 2014, Hall was denied parole by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Tabitha Messina & Carlos Christopher. Case says he could not comment on Hall's upcoming sentencing hearing. Support the Chronicle. "[9], In 2007, Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Pitonyak. "She is a convicted felon, and it's no longer about whether or not she's guilty," Bishop says. Laura Hall is back in the lock-up she despises, while her family and lawyer scramble again to set her free. "Jennifer Cave grew up in Corpus Christi, in a family of five girls. Colton Pitonyak will testify in his own defense. Donna Moonda and Damian Bradford. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She faces up to 10 years in prison. Jennifer Cave's mother, Sharon Cave, testified that she spoke to He was convicted in 2007 of the murder and sentenced to 55 years in prison. Police found a shell casing in the tub that matched the bullet urinating on a car. but Fernandez kicked them out after Pitonyak became belligerent Apparently, it is very possible. Several friends and acquaintances testified they saw Cave with "I was really attracted to Colton from the beginning.. Movies. She said her daughter was [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. Asked if Colton had asked her to help him, Laura tells the detective, "No! Laura's attorney says the witness is not credible. 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. And I said. Become an Oxygen Insider. "Did you have anything to do with the dismemberment of Jennifer's body?" The murder happened in 2005 when she was 21. effects of Jennifer's death. As Laura tells it, she had nothing to do with the horrific crime. Hall was released on parole in 2018 after serving nearly 10 years in prison. It's also a comprehensive document filled with new interview material from most of the key individuals affected by the case, including several members of the Cave family. A jury found Pitonyak guilty and sentenced him to 55 years in prison for killing Cave. "His brain You can find the Orange Tree Podcast on podcast listening apps or at the Drag Production Houses website here. Laura Ashley Hall [12] was a University of Texas at Austin student who at one time had been Pitonyak's girlfriend. 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. "The deputies basically were having to fairly forcefully remove her from the courtroom.". 30 photos. HarperCollins Publishers published the book. [13] On August 3, 2010, Hall was taken into the custody of the state prison system, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). 'That's a mannequin.' He referred Cave, who was an Austin legal assistant, was found in Pitonyaks bathtub in his West Campus apartment on Aug. 18, 2005. On Colton's side. When they started looking into the case, they felt connected to Cave, who died at the same age they were when they started this project, Thomas and Butler said in a statement given to the BrownWood Bulletin publication. "Snapped: Killer Couples" Laura Hall & Colton Pitonyak (TV Episode 2013) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. 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. have said he is taking, Defense attorney Sam Bassett holds a machete found in Pitonyak's 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. it was hilarious that he went in there," Fernandez testified. The next day, Aug. 18, 2005, Sharon and Jim Sedwick hit the highway and raced four hours from Corpus Christi to Austin, and straight to Colton Pitonyak's apartment. At around 8 p.m., Jim calls 911, but when the cops arrive, they wouldn't break in without a search warrant. about her daughter's whereabouts, but both times he was rude and Pitonyak's neighbor, Nora Sullivan, testified that in the spring of 2006, Hall told her that after Pitonyak shot Cave, he sat in his living room drinking beer and watching TV instead of using the tools he'd bought at the hardware store. And before long, something else became clear: Colton's sometime girlfriend, Laura Hall, had also disappeared. I had just gotten away from him. he "Really? But the judge refused to allow it, calling it inadmissable hearsay. I didn't know who she was. He later requested a new trial,saying that Hall had admitted to killing Cave in a jailhouse confession. End quote. Episode 5: Tylar Witt & Steven Colver. I can't go to jail," Laura tells Maher. 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. Inside, a woman's body lay in the bathtub; her hands and head severed. On August 18th, the Sedwicks traveled to Austin and found Cave's car at Pitonyak's apartment. Hall, who has since completed her prison sentence, even provides fresh insight to the reporters in a delicate, yet riveting, exchange over Facebook Messenger. '", Sharon says she knew something was wrong. later charged with hindering apprehension. Jennifer Cave Murder, Jennifer Cave, Laura Hall, Colton Pitonyak, Elizabeth Peacock, Joe James Sawyer, Information is power. [13] Murder [ edit] The ruling, in effect, tossed attorney Joe James Sawyer's defense out the window. A boy's dorm room was sparkling clean? Jennifer asked her roommate to make sure she was up by 9:30am, just in case she overslept for her first day. He said, 'Jennifer didn't come to work today.' 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. [3] Before coming to Austin, Pitonyak attended Christ the King School[8] and Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, Arkansas. "Her DNA was on the gun - the murder weapon itself, that was found in Colton's car.". The troubled young man seemed to somehow draw people in. "I didn't try and help him cover it up at all," she says on the tape. 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. [11] There, U.S. He was also a small-time dealer. [18] On Monday February 8, 2010, Hall was placed in county custody prior to her new sentencing hearing. I mean, when you look at Laura, there is nothing there - at all. There was a shop towel out in the living room of the apartment that had both her DNA and Colton Pitonyak's DNA," Bishop says. As of 2013, Colton Pitonyak is still imprisoned at the Robertson Unit, a maximum-security state prison in Abilene, Texas. Her statement then became she'd seen the body but didn't know what had had happened. but that it must have been His addiction to these substances had been escalating, finally hitting its zenith in the summer of 2005. Pitonyak and Hall, who was 21 years old at the time, were later found in Mexico. of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter or ", "Until you get to know Colton," she continues, "you can't see on the surface that there's something wrong underneath.". Check out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & Karen Brown. need your help for this. 35 in the Apple Podcast all-genre list and No. Law officers also accused her of helping to dismember Caves body. Pitonyak's lawyer, Roy Minton, questioned Austin police firearms Fernandez, to watch a pay-per-view professional fighting match, Laura Hall's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 2010. Cameras weren't allowed in the courtroom as the judge lays out how and when the new sentencing trial will proceed.