after serving half of his sentence. He was hot. the attorney asks. In August 2005, 21-year-old Cave was last seen with her close friend, UT finance major Colton Pitonyak, in Downtown Austin, on the eve of starting a new job at a local law firm. 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. ", "Until you get to know Colton," she continues, "you can't see on the surface that there's something wrong underneath.". 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. he Prosecutors charged Pitonyak with murder. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! And I said. "Trial set for college student accused of slaying, dismembering woman after date. Check out a scene from Episode 7: Elizabeth Turpin & Karen Brown. For the prosecutors, Travis Co. assistant district attorneys Bill Bishop and Stephanie McFarland, it was not a straightforward case. She was released Thursday and is under mandatory supervision until August, the Department of Criminal Justice said. It was the quest for free parking that led Tinu Thomas and Haley Butler by the Orange Tree Condos. That is not my car! We stood right here in [the] hallway. 30 photos. 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. But Sharon sensed Colton was nothing but bad news, and had begged her daughter not to get involved with him. And how could something so terrible happen at all? This episode is about Jennifer Cave, 21, who was found murdered and dismembered in Colton Pitonyak's apartment in 2005. New court documents accuse Laura Hall of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave. 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. Merit Scholar, is standing trial [18] The court ruled that her sentencing hearing was unfair and Hall was released on bond. I am facing 10 years in prison for mutilating a body. "Not that big of a deal," Butler recalled. "I was trying to stay alive. As Laura tells it, she had nothing to do with the horrific crime. Pitonyak is serving a 55-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murder in 2007. [13] On August 3, 2010, Hall was taken into the custody of the state prison system, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). 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. Prosecutors offered testimony from her former cell mate in the Travis Co. And I was on his side, I'm sorry to say.". End quote. In the bathroom, he discovered Cave's Now an Austin podcaster is telling the personal stories behind that severing. "I know one of them involves dismemberment with a machete.". "I'm definitely not a sociopath.". They quickly found out something they didn't expect. from the "She was very enthusiastic, very organized, very excited to have Jennifer Cave's mutilated body was found in the apartment of Pitonyak in 2005. It was just playing with it, like it was a toy. ", Rather than reveling in the prize of unprecedented access, they wanted to always keep sight of the human anguish that reverberates through their narrative. "And he inquired, 'Oh, who is he accused of killing, Miss?' "I have no idea what happened that night.". "He held himself out as a gangster," prosecutor Bill Bishop says. Colton Pitonyak's defense attorney says the appeal he filed last week in Travis County could clear his. lived. Hall was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to five years. His lawyers 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.). Can't keep up with happenings around town? ", CBS News. I'll take you to dinner to celebrate your new job.' For Thomas (a former Chronicle intern) and Butler, the interest in exploring a notorious chapter of campus lore was born of a curiosity for the story beyond the grisly details of the crime, or the sensationalized on-the-run narrative that characterized the subsequent trials and convictions of Pitonyak and Hall. faces a possible life sentence. "The net result is I have to advise my client, even though we planned on you testifying, 'You can't do it,'" Sawyer explains. Jennifer Cave, 21, had struggled with drugs and dropped out of After he discovered Jennifer Cave's body, Jim Sedwick called 9-1-1 again. But Hall's trial, like Pitonyak's, in the end produced little understanding either of what really happened to young Jennifer Cave or, most especially, why her supposed friends ended her life with such brutal, emotionless, and unthinking cruelty. him guilty 0:00. "It upsets me tremendously to be in the same room with her and see her flitting about and talking on her cell phone. apprehension. ", The emotional toll of the case hit particularly close to home for the hosts who both have sisters when they sat down to interview Cave's own sister, Lauren. shot her accidentally. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "That photograph to me means nothing," Laura says dismissively. But Colton was nowhere to be found. custody by Mexican officials and handed Asked how he got back to his apartment, Colton said, "I assume Jennifer took me. Just weeks ago, a new witness has come forward and swears that in 2005, Laura told him she was "going to get away with murder." Pitonyak, a former honor student, had been on a downward spiral of dealing drugs and abusing drugs and alcohol. accidentally pull the trigger while trying to clear a In court, Colton says he did not cut Jennifer's body with the knife." Colton Pitonyak's defense attorney says the appeal he filed last week in Travis County could clear his client's name. "I'm ready to be acquitted," she says. Laura Hall is back in the lock-up she despises, while her family and lawyer scramble again to set her free. examiner Greg Karim about whether Hall is now 34 years old. 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. Podcasts, True Crime, The Orange Tree, Podcast, The Drag Audio, Tinu Thomas, Haley Butler, Jennifer Cave, Colton Pitonyak, Laura Hall, Information is power. Watch an excerpt of Laura Hall's interrogation. "Hey dude, I'm eating pizza, don't bother me any more. This photo was taken after Pitonyak fell It is not known if Hall helped with this gruesome task, but later the two fled across the Mexico border, leaving Jennifers partially dismembered corpse to decompose in his apartment. The defense had wanted the jury to see the tape of Laura's police interrogation, where for nine emotional hours, she firmly maintained she had nothing to do with the dismemberment. Laura Ashley Hall [12] was a University of Texas at Austin student who at one time had been Pitonyak's girlfriend. We were in no condition," she explains. And I'm like, 'Were you with Jennifer?' [2], Jennifer Rae Cave[3] moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, in high school. Hall was And he said, 'Well, there's a problem,' and he said, 'We're concerned." Sanderson, Pitonyak seemed high. S1 E943m. "[14] On February 19, 2009, the Texas Third Court of Appeals ordered re-sentencing. She'd been shot, stabbed, and her body mutilated. It was fired by. There's no way I would have done what was done.". A Connecticut woman says her two 10-year-old German Shepherds, Cimo and Lieben, were shot, beheaded, and killed by a hunter from New York. [3] In 2002, she graduated from Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi and in August of that year she traveled to San Marcos, Texas, to attend Texas State University as a finance major. Laura told them she had crossed the border into Mexico with Colton. For Travis County Prosecutor Bill Bishop, the case is indelible. at Burger King. "I actually don't like to talk about that or think about that at all. I haven't seen her. Cave's parents found her in a bathtub. In Hall's trial, prosecutors were left to develop a portrait of intent mainly through conversations the 24-year-old Hall allegedly had with others in the months following the murder. 's mistake, Laura will be sentenced again. The next day, Aug. 18, Sharon and her fianc, Jim Sedwick, drove to Austin, hoping to find Jennifer. Karim said the gun did not ", And the D.A. The Orange Tree podcast has gained national acclaim. Cave, the young woman he considered Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news. Case says he could not comment on Hall's upcoming sentencing hearing. A jury found Pitonyak guilty and sentenced him to 55 years in prison for killing Cave. "She's still a part of us.". She was initially assigned to the Plane State Jail. Fernandez, to watch a pay-per-view professional fighting match, So I flipped the light switch on and there she was," he remembers. Cave, who was an Austin legal assistant, was found in Pitonyaks bathtub in his West Campus apartment on Aug. 18, 2005. But that portrait of Hall, without her own testimony, was never fully fleshed out.). Jordan Smith of the Austin Chronicle said "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. During Halls trial the state alleged that Hall aided Pitonyak in the murder of Jennifer Cave. 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. Business And Legislative Leaders Push To Replace Expired Tax Break With Texas Lawmakers Take First Step To Restoring Felony Penalty For Illegal Abbotts Pro Voucher Barnstorming Tour Puts Pressure on GOP Reps Who Texas Taxpayers Footing The Bill For Republican Canceling Of Anti-Gun Businesses. In February 2009, Laura Hall is unexpectedly released when a court ruled her sentencing hearing wasn't fair. They weren't in Mexico for long. Jennifer Cave's mother, Sharon Cave, testified that she spoke to "At about 3 o'clock, the law firm called me," says her mother, Sharon Sedwick. Prosecutors are fighting for the new sentence to be as long as possible. to cut up a turkey. "We did have the realization that this was going to be a different story from any other that's been told about this case," said Thomas. Laura says Colton had been drinking and says he didn't remember what had happened. 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. Previous Pause Next. Is Texas Education Agency Commissioner Undermining Public Schools. In the summer of 2005, police were called to an apartment in Austin, Texas. Hall faces trial later this year on charges of felony hindering Inside, was the gun they believed to have been used to kill Jennifer Cave. If Jennifer told you she was going to be somewhere at 8 o'clock, Jennifer was there at 8 o'clock.". Hall. He had a serious problem with drugs, especially cocaine. "I am accused of some unspeakable things. She's out on bond while prosecutors fight to put her back behind bars. Jim Sedwick called 9-1-1. 'Cause in my mind that's not possible," she says of going back to jail. Sharon Sedwick says her daughter, Jennifer Cave, was on Colton's side, too. Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion. I just started crawling through the window trying to push the drapes out of my way. Prosecutors, Hall faces trial later this year on charges of felony hindering At trial, this time with no cameras allowed, the prosecutor outlines Laura's ever-changing account of events. Considering that both killer and victim were on mind-altering drugs would be the only proper explanation to what detectives discovered next. "48 Hours Mystery: In Too Deep", Jurors find college student guilty of killing and dismembering woman, sentence him to 55 years, Laura Hall asks for new review of convictions, "Woman sent to prison after gruesome West Campus murder released", "Person involved in 2005 murder of Jennifer Cave released on parole", "Laura Hall, involved in 2005 West Campus murder of Jennifer Cave, out of prison", Pitonyak Seeks New Trial in Jennifer Cave Murder Case, Appeals court denies Colton Pitonyak a new trial, Court review could be Pitonyaks last chance for new trial, "Woman sent to prison after gruesome West Campus murder to be released", "Appeal denied for Austin man in jail for 2005 murder", "Man Convicted Of 2005 West Campus Murder Fighting For New Trial", Former UT Student Sentenced To Prison For Gruesome Murder, My Fox Austin Timeline of Jennifer Cave Murder Trial, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Jennifer_Cave&oldid=1126519502, This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 20:05. Laura Hall is the only person who has shown this sort of vicious hatred for the last several years, said Joe Turner, Pitonyak's defense attorney. In 2020, A seven-part podcast called "The Orange Tree," published by The Drag, which is an audio production house at the University of Texas, took a deep dive look at Jennifer's life, the trials and the appeals. Everyone has pointed their finger at me," she says.Prosecutors say Laura Hall did everything wrong the day of the murder: she left Colton's apartment and never told anyone what she had seen - not police, and not even her mother, whom she spoke with several times that afternoon. In the end, Detective Mark Gilchrest finally gets Laura to give up the gruesome details. to Jennifer Cave's death as "an accident," prompting grumbles The mutilation was anger it wasn't any effort to hide the body or get rid of the body. Hall was allowed to leave by herself. We immediately just got together. In 2004, police found cocaine, prescription sleeping pills that he had unlawfully obtained, and anxiety medication in his apartment. As the jury deliberates, Laura tries to remain optimistic. Jennifer Cave's family hopes Laura gets even more time behind bars. She could get more time or be let go permanently. And within just a couple of hours, the judge rules against Laura. At around 8 p.m., Jim calls 911, but when the cops arrive, they wouldn't break in without a search warrant. that killed Cave. [9] A hacksaw had been placed on her abdomen. the manager of the Casablanca Hotel Yes. The podcast highlights Halls possibility of being the true murderer of Cave and according to a KXAN report, Pitonyaks lawyers tried to convince a jury that she was the real murderer. Loren says. dismember Jennifer Cave's body during her summation. Except for the murder itself, he blamed Laura for almost everything. The brown paper bag in Pitonyak's studio apartment led police to This week marks the 15th anniversary of Caves death, a horrendous crime that still leaves questions: Why did this happen? "I think my life has been destroyed. Colton Pitonyak was found guilty and sentenced to 55 years in prison. "I'm still just so excited that the UT community seems to like it," she said. "I apologize to everybody here." into Pitonyak's apartment, Cave's, Police found a shell casing in the tub that matched the bullet Inside, a woman's body lay in the bathtub; her hands and head severed. "They stated that during the group that inmate Hall confessed to the murder of Jennifer Cave," Turner explains. Asked what she told police, Laura says, "Just that I thought we were on vacation, I don't know anything about it, Colton's a great guy and he didn't do it. And it kind of got quiet. "48 Hours Mystery: In Too Deep. effects of Jennifer's death. Eddie Pitonyak, the defendant's father, read a statement She had plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) so she could become a lawyer. bullet fired into her severed head. After a jury sentenced him to 55 years in prison, Pitonyak said, Jim tells Sharon to wait on the porch to protect her from what he feared he might find inside. [1] In 2009, Chuck Lindell of the Austin American-Statesman called it the "most infamous West Campus crime". I heard this rustling, like someone's grabbing the phone from you. [23] In 2016, Laura Hall was still incarcerated in the Lockhart Unit. [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. He testified that he He bought the items, he testified, but he did not cut up the body, and he claimed it was Hall's idea to flee to Mexico. 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. She admits that she saw the body in the bathtub, but claims it was Colton's idea to dismember it. "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? Pitonyak 2023 www.statesman.com. The detective disagrees. Unfortunately Cave wouldnt show up for her first day of work, or any other day, because little did anyone know at the time she was laying in a bloody bathtub murdered and partially dismembered. Colton and Laura fled Austin 16 hours after the murder. examiner Greg Karim about whether, Colton Pitonyak testified he has no memory of killing Jennifer Was she a brutal accomplice or just a lost soul along for the ride? but Fernandez kicked them out after Pitonyak became belligerent "I know what's coming," she tells Maher. value meal "out of habit." She was also a student at UT, a government major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. Laura continues to fight a current of public rage that she believes was sweeping away her very life. partially dismembered body in the tub. Thomas said she and Butler were lucky to have each other throughout production. [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. plans and enthusiasm [6], Laura Ashley Hall[12] was a University of Texas at Austin student who at one time had been Pitonyak's girlfriend. And he didn't care who got hurt in the process. They have just created a fictional character and put my name on it. As Jim Sedwick (Cave's stepfather) shakily recounts the fateful night in August 2005, in which he sneaks into Pitonyak's condo to search for his missing stepdaughter, Thomas and Butler pump the brakes and take a moment to describe the affectionate bond Cave had shared with Sedwick in life. . the chamber. 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.. Support the Chronicle. 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. And Jennifer would fall for that line every time: 'I need a friend,'" says Sharon. So that is how Jennifer Cave ended up partying with Colton Pitonyak on that last night of her life. Sawyer can only hope the jury sees it his way. HarperCollins Publishers published the book. 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. left the courtroom with the victim's "[16] Upon discovery, Cave's body had been partially dismembered and had many stab wounds. But Laura does admit to a problem with men. in court were her sisters, Vanessa. Become an Oxygen Insider. 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. I'm here to help you. police found Cave's Saturn sedan parked on a street near the Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! Nicole Kasinskas and Billy Sullivan. S1 E1043m. "I will have a heart attack and die, probably on the courtroom floor if they come back with a guilty verdict. [17] On Monday, January 29, 2007 Pitonyak, then 24, was convicted of murder. "I'm innocent of all this. ", "We knew him to be the only person in her company that evening once they left Sixth Street, the location obviously of her body being in his apartment," Bishop tells "48 Hours." ", Colton also had a collection of gangster movies. carpet cleaner, gloves I felt that he didn't really do this. 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. "The thing that I am most fearful about is that she will choose my family to yet again hurt," Sharon tells Maher. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [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. She was also a student at UT, a government major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. night of drinking and drug use, but admitted he believes he may And I was yelling, I said, 'Please don't hurt me. Podcast Revisits Gruesome Texas Murder, Including Rare Interview. It was just playing with it, like it was toy," Bishop tells "48 Hours Mystery" correspondent Maureen Maher. I said, 'Thank you so much for giving her this opportunity.' Another person, Laura Hall, was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Pitonyak after the two fled to Mexico. "I have never heard anyone say anything but that she was one of the nicest people they knew," Bishop says of Jennifer. Thank you very much in advance. have said he is taking, Defense attorney Sam Bassett holds a machete found in Pitonyak's The sentences, to be served concurrently, include 10 years for tampering with evidence and one year for hindering apprehension. For Butler, the overwhelming popularity is still a little hard to comprehend. Sharon Cave, the victim's mother, broke down as she recalled the Jennifer Cave's mother, Sharon, and her fiance, Jim Sedwick, The law firm that she interviewed with on August 16, 2005, was so impressed that they offered her a full-time position, starting the next morning. "He said he was gonna cut up the body and get rid of it," she told the detective. "It's impossible for me to have been jealous of Jennifer Cave, because I not only didn't know her, but I didn't know she existed," Laura says. He was arrested for possession of illegal drugs. Investigators said Hall helped to dismember Cave's body. ", "Well it's neither," she replies. He will not get a new trial, but his attorney now has more ammunition. 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. The police said they could not search the apartment without a warrant. 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. and Lauren, brother Clayton, mother,Sharon, and her mother's fianc, Jim Sedwick. Colton Pitonyak and his new accomplice, Laura Hall, were quickly arrested by Mexican police officers and extradited back to face his crimes. the saw was too small to cut up a body and reminded jurors that Several friends and acquaintances testified they saw Cave with And I'm kind of like, sitting up, 'Colton, what's the deal, what's going on?' She's sentenced to five years. 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. So like, I definitely feel shackled.". Come here.'". 'Some bitch.' Prosecutors 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. Police didn't believe Laura's story that Colton had forced her to drive him to Mexico. "Absolutely nothing to do with it," she replies. And they will always remember the child that is gone forever. The ruling, in effect, tossed attorney Joe James Sawyer's defense out the window. was fried on drugs," he told police. 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. Whereas some true-crime anthologies might barrel headlong toward the most gruesome, shocking detail, Thomas and Butler underline their reporting philosophy upfront. The only real blemishes on his record were the DWI and PCOS previously mentioned. But according to Pitonyak's lawyer, once during a group therapy session in jail, Laura told other inmates she is in fact the killer. [11] Pitonyak had no previous record of violent crime. "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. time Jennifer Cave is believed to have been killed. a hardware store four blocks away. 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. And I'm like, 'Oh yes, I know.' "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. Laura Hall & Colton Pitonyak. Hall, who has since completed her prison sentence, even provides fresh insight to the reporters in a delicate, yet riveting, exchange over Facebook Messenger. Jennifer Cave's hands and head were wrapped in white trash bags But the jury never heard Laura's side of the story. The official cause of death was determined to be a single gunshot from a .380 Smith and Wesson which entered through Jennifers right arm, traveling through her torso, and eventually lacerating her aorta. Sanderson, Pitonyak seemed high. Cave, the young woman he considered, About 12 hours after he shot Cave, Pitonyak stopped for a meal But Laura was in Colton's apartment dozens of times before the murder and she says the DNA - even the DNA on the gun - means nothing. urinating on a car. The answer in the presence of that jury, quote, 'Some Bitch.' There is no soul.". On Tuesday, the same jury sentenced Hall to five years in prison and a year in jail, with the sentences to run concurrently.
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