Teen lesbian couple in Texas/Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were found in knee-deep grass in a nature area in Portland/Mollie did not survive/Mary Christine recovering, helps LE refine sketch of shooter

Visit msnbc.com for [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

By Miranda Leitsinger, msnbc.com

Friends and family of two teenage girls in a same-sex relationship who were shot in the head in a South Texas park expressed shock and grief Tuesday over the incident in which one of the young women was killed and the other severely injured.

Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were found in knee-deep grass in a nature area in Portland by a couple Saturday, said Portland Police Chief Randy Wright, who confirmed to msnbc.com details first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller Times.

Rainbow ribbons, goodbye messages, flowers and cut-out hearts were posted around the site where they were found. On Friday, a candlelight vigil and walk will be held for Chapa and Olgin.

“It’s something that I think all of us are going to carry with us for a while,” Frank Reyna, a friend of both girls, told msnbc.com. “It’s going to take a while to get past this, the idea that there is somebody still out there that did this to these two amazing, beautiful people and that they’re walking free right now.”
Olgin, originally from Ingleside but recently living in Corpus Christi, died; Chapa, of Sinton, was rushed to a hospital where she had surgery and was in serious but stable condition on Sunday, local NBC affiliate kristv.com reported. Wright said Chapa was still in the hospital on Monday.

Police are investigating the shooting of two teenage girls in a same-sex relationship in a small Texas community along the Gulf of Mexico. KRIS reporter Lindsay Curtis has the story.

Wright said police had recovered a bullet casing from a large-caliber gun at the scene, but they haven’t found the weapon. A resident living nearby reported hearing two loud bangs Friday before midnight but believed they were from firecrackers, the newspaper said.

“If we had a name, you know, we’d be having a different conversation right now. But we have not been able to gather enough information to identify a suspect yet,” Wright said Monday. “It appears as if … this was not just a random attack but that’s something that we really have to develop over time.”

A makeshift memorial was set up near the site where police believe Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were attacked last week in Portland, Tex.

Two calls placed Tuesday to Wright seeking an update on the case were not immediately returned.

Chandler Nunez, who noted that Olgin was one of her best friends in high school, said she was in shock.
“ … I cannot imagine anyone who would want to hurt such a loving and caring person,” she wrote to msnbc.com. “This was incredibly unexpected and the lack of answers makes this tragedy all the more frustrating.”

Friends told kristv.com that the pair had been a couple for five months. Wright said he didn’t have any information about their relationship, noting that “we understood from their friends that they were (in a romantic relationship). I know from … Mollie’s parents that they were very close.”

Reyna, a 19-year-old university student, said he grew up with Chapa, and met Olgin his sophomore year of high school. He described Chapa as an athlete who played softball, and said Olgin, now a student at a nearby university, was focused on academics but also was a big joker. He last saw them together at a local coffee shop in May, which was the first time he saw them out as a couple.

“I’m glad that that was the last time that I saw Mollie in person, that that’s the memory that I can live with for the rest of my life, knowing that I saw her happy,” he said.

The couple’s relationship “was a readily accepted thing,” he added, and was not what their friends focused on.

“We focused on their personalities and how they got along with everybody else … their kindheartedness and their ability to just make other people smile and make each other smile,” he said. “We didn’t care … what they were, it’s who they were.”

When asked if police had been able to determine if the girls' sexuality played any role in the shootings, Wright told msnbc.com on Monday: “That’s always something that we’re looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack.”

He also said they had been in communication with Chapa. He noted all indications were that “third parties” were involved in the assault.

The park, more of nature area with some parts overgrown and no lights, was often frequented by visitors during the day, but not at night. It is located along a bluff overlooking a bay, Wright said, with some homes situated nearby.

“We’re not really sure how they got to the point that they were found,” he said. “It is a scenic overlook with a wooden deck and there is a place at the edge of the deck where you can actually go down a very steep incline into a grassy area that leads down to the shoreline and that’s where they were found.”
The crime rate is low in Portland, north of Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico, Wright said. The last homicide occurred two years ago.

While people in the South Texas community prepare for their memorial service, another candlelight vigil for the pair has been organized by Cleve Jones, a gay civil rights activist who conceived the AIDS Memorial Quilt, for Wednesday evening in San Francisco. On Facebook, people noted they would hold vigils in other cities, too.

"You were taken too soon," Megan Olgin, who identified herself as Olgin’s sister on Facebook, wrote in a post. "I love you and always will. You're my guardian angel. I love you little sister. Forever and always ♥"

Editor's note: Chapa's friends spell her name as Kristene, though the Portland police list it as Christine. Calls placed to the police to clarify were not immediately returned.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

OMG, this is the first I've heard of this. Portland is a Very nice little town right on the coast about 15 miles from Corpus. How Horrible!!

I read this this morning. Kind of sounds like someone didn't like their relationship. Like a homophobic person.

Mollie Judith Olgin And Mary Christine Chapa, Teen Lesbian Couple, Shot At Texas Park
Posted: 06/26/2012 10:43 am
Updated: 06/26/2012 1:06 pm

Details remain vague in a violent double shooting at a Texas park that left one lesbian teen dead and another hospitalized in serious condition.

As The Corpus Christi Caller originally reported, Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were found in knee-deep grass in Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas on Saturday.

Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene, while Chapa was rushed to a nearby hospital where she had surgery. She remained in the hospital on Monday, Portland Police Chief Randy Wright confirmed to MSNBC.

Wright could not confirm the nature of the girls' relationship, but friends say they had been a couple for about five months. When MSNBC asked if authorities believed the girls' sexuality had provided any motive for the shootings, Wright noted: "That’s always something that we’re looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack."

Investigators told KRIS-TV.com they believe Olgin and Chapa were shot with a large-caliber gun some time around midnight on Friday after being led down a trail and into a grassy area. They were found about 9 hours later. Wright noted that the case already had "some of the earmarks of a targeted attack," but no arrests have yet been made or had any suspects been identified.

A Facebook group has planned a candlelight vigil at Violet Andrews Park in honor of Olgin and Chapa for Friday, June 29. More details about the vigil can be found here.

A second vigil will be held in Washington D.C.'s DuPont Circle on June 29 at 6 p.m.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

raine1953 wrote:I read this this morning. Kind of sounds like someone didn't like their relationship. Like a homophobic person.

Well, this is TexASS. Nuff said.
Ignorance is bliss here.

Texas Rangers investigate shooting of teen lesbian couple

Courtesy of Jillian Manuel
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
A makeshift memorial was set up near the site in Portland, Tex., where a couple found Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, after they were shot last week.

By Miranda Leitsinger, msnbc.com
Texas Rangers have joined the investigation into the shooting of two teenage girls at a South Texas park last weekend that left one of the young women dead and the other severely injured, a state public safety spokesman said Tuesday.

Portland Police had asked the Texas Rangers for help, kiiitv.com reported, and Rangers were at the park on Tuesday looking for clues near where the pair was found.
"The Texas Rangers are assisting in the Portland investigation. We offered our assistance and they accepted and we have been actively involved in the investigation since Sunday," Tom Vinger, spokesman for Texas Department of Public Safety, wrote to msnbc.com in an email.

Vinger said the local police department was lead on the investigation, adding that that neither the department nor the Rangers would be providing any details on it. On their website, the Rangers, formed in 1835, are described as having lead criminal investigative responsibility for major incident crime and unsolved crime or serial crime.

Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, who were in a same-sex relationship, were found in a grassy area of the park by a couple Saturday morning with gunshot wounds to the head, Portland Police Chief Randy Wright said.

Olgin, originally from nearby Ingleside but recently living in Corpus Christi, died; Chapa, of Sinton, was rushed to an area hospital where she was in stable condition, Wright said Tuesday in a statement.

Wright said police had recovered a bullet casing from a large-caliber gun at the scene, leading investigators to believe the shootings occurred where the pair was found, but they haven’t found the weapon. Two witnesses said they heard what could have been gunshots or firecrackers just before midnight last Friday but did not report it at the time, he said.

A motive had not been established, he said in the statement.

"Information from family and friends indicates that Mollie and Mary were engaged in a same-sex relationship. However, there is no current evidence to indicate the attacks were motivated by that relationship," he said.
Wright told msnbc.com on Monday that: “It appears as if … this was not just a random attack but that’s something that we really have to develop over time.”

Because of her medical condition, Chapa has not been formally interviewed about what happened, he said.

The park, a nature area with some parts overgrown and no lights, was often frequented by visitors during the day, but not at night. It is located along a bluff overlooking a bay, Wright said, with some homes situated nearby.

“We’re not really sure how they got to the point that they were found,” he said. “It is a scenic overlook with a wooden deck and there is a place at the edge of the deck where you can actually go down a very steep incline into a grassy area that leads down to the shoreline, and that’s where they were found.”

The crime rate is low in Portland, north of Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico, Wright said. The last homicide occurred two years ago.

The couple’s friends and well-wishers placed rainbow ribbons, goodbye messages, flowers and cut-out hearts on Sunday around the site where Olgin and Chapa were found. On Friday, a candlelight vigil and walk will be held for them.

Frank Reyna, a 19-year-old university student, said he grew up with Chapa and met Olgin his sophomore year of high school. He described Chapa as an athlete who played softball, and said Olgin, a student at a nearby university, was focused on academics but also was a big joker. He last saw them together at a local coffee shop in May, which was the first time he saw them out as a couple.

“It’s something that I think all of us are going to carry with us for a while,” Reyna told msnbc.com. “It’s going to take a while to get past this, the idea that there is somebody still out there that did this to these two amazing, beautiful people, and that they’re walking free right now.”

Rainbow ribbons, messages, flowers and cut-out hearts were left near the site in Portland, Tex., where a couple found Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, after they were shot.

Friends said the pair had been together since mid-February.

The couple’s relationship “was a readily accepted thing,” Reyna added, and was not what their friends focused on.
“We focused on their personalities and how they got along with everybody else … their kindheartedness and their ability to just make other people smile and make each other smile,” he said. “We didn’t care … what they were, it’s who they were.”

Jillian Manuel, 20, who used to work with Olgin, said it was hard to return to the park on the weekend knowing what had happened there. She went to help create the makeshift memorial, where friends shared stories and tears, and to check the scene, where she recalled the difficulty of watching Olgin’s car get towed.

“We’re … hoping to kind of just remember Molly, remember her and just share our memories,” Manuel said of their planned vigil. “And then … send off prayers

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

How sad...beautiful girls, both of them. I hope the other one pulls through ok.
The people that knew her/ them said they had no enemies. Goodness, I hope the police aren't just focusing on ppl that knew her or went to school w/ her.... sounds to me like 2 girls, sitting in the grass in a park, possibly snuggled together or kissing, and some ignorant ass with a firearm comes across them and shoots one in the head. There is that kind of hate everywhere and I feel that people who are "out" make themselves targets- especially with PDA. Its still not completely safe for gays everywhere, like we would like to think. Society is still closed minded...

What is PDA?? Racking my tired brain here. :scratch:

I completely agree with you.

oops sorry- public display of affection

LOL. I truly couldn't figure it out. Shows what a fossil I am.

LOL well you are in good fossil company!

by Jason St. Amand
Web Producer / Staff Writer
Thursday Jun 28, 2012

Authorities from Portland, Texas, say that there is no evidence that the shooting of two lesbian teens was a hate crime, Caller.com reported.

Last weekend, Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and her girlfriend Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were shot in a local park. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and Chapa was rushed to the hospital for a gunshot wound to the head. She has been listed in stable condition and as of Tuesday police are still waiting to talk with her.

After the story made national headlines, many suspected that the girls were targeted because of their sexual orientation. But Portland Police Chief Randy Wright says there is no evidence that the shooting had to do with their relationship.

"There’s no evidence to suggest that this crime was committed as a bias against the girls or their lifestyle," Wright said.

Olgin, a student at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Chapa were found lying in Violet Andrews Park Saturday morning.

Earlier this week, Wright would not say if the girls were gunned down because they are lesbians. "That’s always something that we’re looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack," he said.

The police officer also stated it was not confirmed if the girls were in a relationship even though friends said they had been together for five months. "At best, we know they were really good friends. Some of their friends have stated that they were in a relationship," he told CNN.

"If we had a name, you know, we’d be having a different conversation right now. But we have not been able to gather enough information to identify a suspect yet," Wright told MSNBC.com. "It appears as if ... this was not just a random attack but that’s something that we really have to develop over time."

The Human Rights campaign and Equality Texas, and LGBT organization based in the state, issued a joint statement and said that the groups have reached out to local authorities, the Department of Justice and the FBI.

’I’m glad that that was the last time that I saw Mollie in person, that that’s the memory that I can live with for the rest of my life, knowing that I saw her happy’

"Regardless of the motivation behind this tragedy, we must send a strong message that violence against anyone is never acceptable. We have reached out to law enforcement officials at both the federal and local level, and hope to see a thorough investigation. These women, and all victims of violent crimes, deserve nothing less," the statement says.

Equality Texas will hold a candlelight vigil for the girls this Friday and LGBT activists in San Francisco and D.C. will hold similar events on Wednesday and Friday respectively.

The MSNBC story interviewed friends and family of the teens, who expressed their shock on learning of the tragic event. Several individuals have left gifts, such as rainbow ribbons, letters, flowers and other items at a memorial that was setup in the park where the couple was found.

"It’s something that I think all of us are going to carry with us for a while," Frank Reyna, a friend of the teens, told the news site. "It’s going to take a while to get past this, the idea that there is somebody still out there that did this to these two amazing, beautiful people, and that they’re walking free right now."

Reyna, 19, said he met Olgin his sophomore year of high school and that he grew up with Chapa. The the last time he saw the teens was in May in a coffee shop and it was the first time he saw them together as a couple.

"I’m glad that that was the last time that I saw Mollie in person, that that’s the memory that I can live with for the rest of my life, knowing that I saw her happy," he said. Renya also added that their relationship was accepted among their friends.

"We focused on their personalities and how they got along with everybody else ... their kindheartedness and their ability to just make other people smile and make each other smile," he said. "We didn’t care ... what they were, it’s who they were."

Olgin’s close friend, Chandler Nunez, said that he was shocked by the crime. "I cannot imagine anyone who would want to hurt such a loving and caring person," she wrote to MSNBC.com. "This was incredibly unexpected and the lack of answers makes this tragedy all the more frustrating."

Olgin’s sister, Megan, expressed her grief on her sister’s Facebook page. "You were taken too soon. I love you and always will," she wrote. "You’re my guardian angel. I love you little sister. Forever and always ♥"

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

No suspects in shooting of Texas lesbian couple

June 27, 2012
By Phil Reese on June 27, 2012

Two young lesbians in Texas were shot over the weekend, killing one of the girls.

A national outcry has followed news that on Saturday morning, Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were found in a Corpus Christi area park with gunshots to the head, according to Portland, Texas police. Olgin was declared dead at the scene, while Chapa is in stable condition.

Friends described the pair as a couple, and say they had been dating for five months before the shooting occurred, fueling speculation that hate may have been a motivating factor behind the crime, according to the Dallas Voice.

However, due to the nature of Chapa’s injuries, police have yet to interview the only witness to the crime, and without a suspect, cannot attribute a motive.

“Information from family and friends indicates that Mollie and Mary were engaged in a same-sex relationship,” Portland Police Chief Randy Wright wrote in a press release Tuesday night. “However, there is no current evidence to indicate the attacks were motivated by that relationship.”

Wright did not return calls regarding the investigation.

“We’re at a point in the investigation where we’re hopeful for the recovery of Mary Christine Chapa because she’s going to be the primary witness at this point in time,” Chuck Smith, deputy executive director of Equality Texas, told the Washington Blade. He noted the group is staying in touch with the Justice Department and the FBI as the investigation unfolds.

“I think the general reaction, both in the Portland area as well as in the larger community is one of shock,” Smith told the Blade. “Portland is a small town, they haven’t had a murder in two years, so it is certainly unusual for the city of Portland to have a violent crime like this. It is also unusual fortunately, to have this type of crime anywhere in the state that’s this violent in nature.”

“They apparently do not have evidence either way whether or not the crime was motivated by bias,” Smith added. “The surviving victim is going to be an important part of helping solve that investigation.”

Smith encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Portland Police Department.

Vigils were planned to call attention to the shooting in San Francisco on Wednesday, as well as planned observances Friday in Portland, where the shooting took place, and Washington, D.C, at 6:00 p.m. at Dupont Circle.

“Whether or not it was a hate crime, it was a crime against humanity and for that reason alone we must stand up as a human family and support all who are in mourning,” said Michael Diviesti, Texas co-state lead organizer for grassroots LGBT group GetEQUAL, in a statement. “When something like this happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.”

GetEqual is maintaining a hub for information regarding the many local vigils being planned at a portal located at getequaltx.org/vigil.

“[The vigil] was initiated by friends of the victims, but it has quickly grown to be of interest to advocacy organizations and advocacy groups all across the state, and I think that is particularly important in terms of the coastal area that includes Corpus Christi, because historically it’s not been an easy place for LGBT people to organize in some respects because people don’t have the level of self-safety in order to be out and open,” Equality Texas’s Smith told the Blade of the Portland vigil, saying the organization will participate and observe, but is not organizing the event. “There is some level of trepidation in that area in terms of being out all the time.”

“I’m pleased to see that it motivates people to speak up,” Smith continued. “I would like to see people be involved all the time, not just when horrendous crimes like this occur. If it is violence against LGBT people that motivates people to wake up and recognize that they can’t just sit on the sidelines and expect other people to work and advance our movement, then on some levels it’s a good thing.”

According to Portland police, a spent shell casing from a handgun matching the bullets that killed Olgin was found at the scene, indicating, according to the release, the shooting occurred at the scene.

The news comes at a time when the Texas LGBT community — particularly along the Gulf Coast — continues to face hostility.

Last year in Corpus Christi, the ACLU intervened on behalf of students after the Flour Bluff Independent School District denied the students’ request to form a gay-straight alliance at the school and school administrators attempted to shut down all extracurricular activities rather than let the GSA form. The school board intervened and the clubs were again allowed in the school, including the GSA. This is down the street from me.

The news also comes the same week the Texas Republican Party published an anti-gay party platform, writing, in part, “We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle, in public policy, nor should ‘family’ be redefined to include homosexual ‘couples.’ We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.”

The platform also calls for the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment, the repeal of any domestic partnership or civil union legislation anywhere in the country, and states its opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

According to Smith, Equality Texas does not operate a specific statewide hate crime reporting mechanism where Texans can seek assistance in dealing with a case of anti-LGBT bias crime or discrimination.

“It’s sort of more done on the local level,” Smith said, saying that while Equality participates in community-based hate crime task forces, and some police departments have hate crime liaisons, the system is a “hodge podge” that causes problems throughout Texas. “While we do have a statewide hate crimes law, it has not been adequately implemented. Law enforcement has not had the level of training that one would need or expect to have in order for law enforcement jurisdictions across the state to adequately enforce and use the law.”

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Father of Portland Shooting Victim Says Justice Will Be Served

Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:32 PM CDT
Updated: Jun 27, 2012 1:15 PM CDT

PORTLAND (Kiii News) -
The Texas Rangers, who are assisting Portland Police with the investigation of the double shooting that happened this past weekend, were back out at the crime scene Tuesday; the shooting that left 18-year old Mary Kristene Chapa in serious condition, and resulted in the death of 19-year old Mollie Olgin of Ingleside.

Olgin's father said the family is truly touched by the outpour of support, not only from the Ingleside community, but from all over the country. They know it may take some time, but have complete confidence that their daughter's killer will be brought to justice.

"She's my guardian angel," said Mario Olgin, her father. "I know she's looking down on us, in a better place."

Mollie Olgin dreamed of becoming a psychiatrist, and had just finished her first semester of college; but when she didn't show up for work Saturday, Mario Olgin knew something was terribly wrong.

"It wasn't like Mollie," he said. "I immediately had bad feelings about it."

That gut feeling, his worst nightmare, had become reality. Friday evening, Olgin's daughter had plans to see a movie with her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa. They stopped at the Violet Andrews Park in Portland to kill some time before heading to the theater.

That is where the shooting occurred. They were both shot in the head by an unknown assailant. Olgin died a short time later, and Chapa survived.

The Portland police chief said there is no evidence yet that it was a hate crime and they are not treating it as that; but he also said they are not ruling it out.

While state, federal and local authorities continue to follow leads, Olgin is confident that his daughter's killer will be caught and have their day in court.

"She was happy," Olgin said. "Justice will be served."

Olgin has not talked to Chapa's family since the shooting, but said he plans to once they are ready. In the meantime, the small town of Ingleside is mourning the loss of a life that ended before it truly began.

A memorial services for Olgin will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday, at Limbaugh Funeral Home in Portland, followed by a candlelight vigil for both girls at 6 p.m. at the Violet Andrews Park.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

must-see video!

I could not agree more. The ignorance of the bolded statements are palpable. Of course this was a 'hate crime'. Texas government needs to step up to the plate, get their heads out of their and stop being in denial.

And we both know it will be a cold day in hell before they do that!!! JMOO.

I have a better chance of winning the lottery here.

Teen Making Amazing Recovery After Tragic Shooting of Her and Her Girlfriend

Posted: Jun 28, 2012 6:14 PM by Adrian Carrasquillo - NBCLatino.com
Updated: Jun 28, 2012 7:09 PM

PORTLAND, Texas(NBCLatino) - Mary Kristine Chapa, 18, who was shot in the head on Saturday along with her girlfriend Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, who was killed, is making an "amazing" recovery, her brother told NBCLatino.com.

"Krissy's health - considering what happened to her - she's doing amazing," says Hilario Chapa, 32. "She's making a strong recovery. The doctors are amazed."

A couple visiting Andrews Park in Portland, Texas on Saturday saw the bodies of two teens in a grassy area. In a statement, Portland police chief Randy Wright said that while family and friends have confirmed the two teens were in a same-sex relationship, there is no evidence as of yet to indicate the attacks were a hate crime. The Texas Rangers have joined the investigation.

Hilario, a tech sergeant in the Air Force reserve, who served with the 82nd airborne division, says his sister took sign language in high school and has been able to communicate in that way. He says she has made physical progress on her right side but they are still waiting for a response from the left side of her body.

"The doctors say it's too early, no one is using the word paralyzed," he says. "They say we should be so happy with her progress after 3 or 4 days. She's very strong. She survived a very tough ordeal but her recovery is coming in strides and impressing everybody."

As of now her brother says there is no timeline for when she can come out of the intensive care unit and because of the investigation he is hesitant to share many details about the search for a suspect.

"We don't know who did this to her, she hasn't given us a name," he says. "We're under the impression she doesn't know who did it. We don't know if it's a hate crime."

The Mexican-American Chapa family lives in Sinton, Texas, which is 72 percent Latino.

A remarkably composed Hilario says he initially had trouble controlling his emotions when he found out what happened to his sister. His father, who is an Iraq war veteran, and his mother have also had to deal with the devastating shooting of their daughter.

"My father is the strong one," he says. "My mom is not doing so well. They haven't left the hospital. They come to my house to shower and then go back."

With their father between jobs, Kristine is without insurance. The family has set up an official donation page on WePay, to help pay for her medical bills.

He says the family of Mollie Olgin has reached out to meet with his family but it hasn't happened yet because his mother is so shaken over what happened that she is struggling with the idea of meeting with a family who lost their daughter. He says the families will eventually meet soon.

Hilario also addressed the support his family has received from across the country, as a Facebook event for a "candle lit walk in memory of Olgin and to keep Christine Chapa in prayers for a speedy" recovery has 741 people who say they will participate Friday evening. He also says he and his family cherish the support they've received from the gay community across the country and abroad.

"I don't want to say the wrong thing because my sister has always been private," he says. "She is a lesbian and she's getting a lot of support from the gay and lesbian community. I'm proud of my sister. I have no problem with it and our family doesn't either."

Her brother says the support through this dark time is lifting spirits.

"It makes us all stronger and brings the community together," he says.

"We just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else and find who did this."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Witness Emerges in Teen Lesbian Couple Shooting

By ALYSSA NEWCOMB (@alyssanewcomb)
June 29, 2012

A witness has come forward in the killing of a teenage lesbian couple and told police the shooter was a white man in his 20s with dark hair, police in Portland, Texas, said today.

Molly Olgin, 19, Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, were both shot in the head a week ago in a park in Portland, Texas. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene. Chapa was taken to a hospital and has since regained consciousness.

A witness to the shooting told police the suspect is a white male in his 20s with dark hair. The suspect is estimated to be 5-foot-8 and weighs approximately 140 pounds, police said in a statement.

The teenagers were found Saturday morning in knee-high grass near a scenic lookout at Violet Andrews Park, police said.

"There continues to be no evidence that the attack was motivated by the victims' sexual orientation," said Portland Police Chief Randy Wright.

The Portland Police Department is being assisted by federal law enforcement agencies, the Texas Rangers and Texas Department of Public Safety.

Several vehicles were at Violet Andrews Park the night of the shooting, according to witnesses. Officers are appealing to anyone who was in the area that night to come forward with any information they may have, no matter how inconsequential it may be seem.

Vigils around the country have been organized for Olgin and Chapa. After Olgin's memorial service today, the community plans to gather at the park in a candlelight show of support for both women.

Mario Olgin, Mollie's father, told ABC News' Corpus Christi affiliate he is hopeful the person who did this to his daughter would be apprehended.

"She was happy," Olgin said. "Justice will be served."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

PORTLAND, Texas - An eyewitness to the shooting of a same-sex teen couple in a Texas park has described the suspect as a white male in his 20s with dark hair, standing 5 foot 8 inches tall, and about 140 pounds, according to a statement from the Portland Police Department.

Mollie Olgin, 19, and Mary Chapas, 18, were both shot near a scenic overlook in Violet Andrews Park. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene and Chapas, who was shot in the head, is in stable condition.

According to the statement, witnesses reported seeing several vehicles in the area on the evening of the attacks, which means there may be other witnesses who inadvertently have information about the case.

The statement also reiterated the department's assertion that there is no evidence yet to suspect that the shooting was motivated by a bias against the young women's sexual orientation.

Despite this, the Corpus Christi Caller reports that on Thursday night, the local chapter of Get Equal Texas, an organization advocating equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, gathered in a vigil for the two girls.

"Whether this was a hate crime or not, these two girls were in a relationship," Carolyn Moon told the newspaper. "They were out in the park where any of us could go. That's frightening in itself."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Tragedy in Texas: My trip to a vigil for lesbian couple shot by man on the loose

WAYNE BESEN - TRUTH WINS OUT
July 4th, 2012

A memorial for Mollie Judith Olgin, murdered in Texas. Her partner Mary Christine Chapa survived the twin shootings.

When I first heard that a gunman shot a teenage lesbian couple in Portland, Texas, I pictured a small, backward town reminiscent of the one in the movie “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” The crime scene, however, did not match the picture I had conjured on the plane ride from Vermont to Texas.

I was headed for a vigil that would follow the funeral of 19-year old Mollie Olgin, who was shot in the head.

Her girlfriend of five months, Mary Chapa, 18, was also shot in the head, but survived and is recovering in the hospital. (Chapa is now conscious and has even written down “Mollie” several times, inquiring about her slain partner, according to SF Weekly.)

What made this tragedy more chilling was that it occurred at Violet Andrews Park, which is in an upper middle class suburb of Corpus Christi.

The exquisitely manicured bayside nature preserve was not secluded, as one would imagine, but surrounded by tony waterfront homes and had a well-maintained trail that passed by a charming children’s playground. As I walked through the park, several families strolled with their children to various scenic overlooks to peer at Corpus Christi Bay.

Violet Andrews Park is the type of serene refuge that people visit to get over the death of a loved one, not the type of place where people are brutally murdered. Surely, a violent encounter was the last thing on the minds of Olgin and Chapa when they went to the park on June 22 to waste time before a movie.

What happened next is still a mystery. But we do know that the couple was led into a mud-soaked, grassy trail where both girls were shot in the head with a high caliber pistol. Police describe the suspect as a white male in his 20s with dark hair, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds.

According to Police Chief Randy Wright:

“We do have a number of leads in the case and are following up on all of them with the help of several agencies, including the Corpus Christi PD, the Texas Rangers, the U.S. Marshal’s office, as well as local authorities from Aransas Pass, Ingleside and Sinton. There are certain details we will not release at this time due to the scope of the investigation, but we do have numerous witnesses we are in the process of interviewing and there is physical and forensic evidence that is being looked at as well, including lab work that needs to be done.”

While in town I visited the Portland Police Department where I was handed a generic statement that read, “There continues to be no evidence that the attack was motivated by the victims’ sexual orientation.”

Of course, we all know this is absurd.

Any time a gay couple is murdered without explanation their sexual orientation has to be considered a top-tier motive. Even as the daily lives of LGBT people improve, the world is still filled with human ticking time bombs primed by preachers and politicians to hate.

The LGBT community has been demonized, and dehumanized to the point where our lives aren’t worth more than dirt to some people. Every LGBT person runs the risk of harassment or death simply by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Anti-Violence Project (AVP) released their national report on hate violence for 2011 and found that there were 30 killings of LGBT Americans due to hate which is the highest yearly total ever recorded.

A report published by the Southern Poverty Law Center in November 2010, analyzing FBI data from 1995 to 2008, found that LGBT people are 2.6 times more likely to be attacked than blacks; 4.4 times more likely than Muslims; 13.8 times more likely than Latinos; and 41.5 times more likely than whites.

Given these alarming statistics, I went down to Texas to ensure that the police fully considered hate as a potential motive – on par with other possibilities. To the Portland Police department’s credit, they appeared fully engaged in finding the assailant, with police cars cruising the surrounding streets and officers walking the park throughout the day.

The vigil began at 6 p.m., as more than 150 people streamed out of Olgin’s memorial at the Limbaugh Funeral Home and into the park where the shootings occurred.

“The community is hurt and scared, but we are pulling together,” Equality Texas Field Organizer Daniel Williams told me at the vigil.

A common theme by those who knew the young women was that they were first-rate individuals who harmed no one.

“She was the kind of person who would take the shirt off her back – a truly kind hearted person,” said Nellena McCabe, whose daughter went to school with Olgin for two years.

According to reports, Olgin dreamed of one day becoming a psychiatrist, and just finished her first semester of college. She was involved in band and the debate club.

“It’s really devastating to lose any child in such a horrific way,” said Dawn Jagger, who was Mary Chapa’s art teacher in 5th grade. “The damage and pain it causes the other kids in a split second of learning of the tragedy….It is incomprehensible and there are so many unanswered questions. It’s hard.”

Whether this turns out to be a hate crime or not, it is clear that the LGBT community has lost a beautiful soul and the life of her surviving partner will never be the same. The eyes of the world are now firmly fixed on Texas and will remain so until justice is served.

Besen is the the Founding Executive Director of Truth Wins Out.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Teen lesbian couple: Survivor remembers shooting attack

PORTLAND, Texas, July 2 (UPI) -- The survivor of the Texas shooting of a lesbian couple has regained consciousness and remembers the shooting, a close friend said.

Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, is in the hospital recovering from being shot in the head on June 22 at Violet Andrews Park in Portland. Her girlfriend, Mollie Olgin, 19, was also shot and was found dead at the scene.

A close friend of Chapa's told ABC News Chapa remembers the night, though it was unclear whether she had been interviewed by police yet.

Police said Thursday a witness has come forward and provided a description of the suspect. He is a white man in his 20s with brown hair who is about 5-foot-8 and weighs about 140 pounds.

"There continues to be no evidence that the attack was motivated by the victims' sexual orientation," Portland Police Chief Randy Wright said.

Read more: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

An 18-year-old girl is helping police hunt for the man who shot her in the head and murdered her girlfriend at a Texas park last month.

Mary Kristene Chapa is still recovering in a hospital bed from brain injuries sustained in the shooting, but she's managed to help police refine their sketch of the suspect who killed her girlfriend, 19-year-old Mollie Judith Olgin, ABC News reports.

"She wants very badly to help us identify Mollie's murderer," Portland, Texas, Police Department Chief Randy Wright told ABC News. "Our eyewitness sustained a brain injury that initially affected her ability to communicate effectively. The good news is she has made exceptional progress. Her sight and speech have improved and she can now interact with the artist much better."

Chapa already provided the sketch artist with an initial physical description, but she requested a second meeting to clarify the rendering, Wright said. Her description did not change from the first version.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, 5 foot 8 inches tall, thin build, 140 pounds, with brown hair and a scruffy beard.

Chapa and Olgin were both found shot in the head at around 9 a.m. on a Saturday last month at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, Texas, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

A couple visiting the park found the girls -- who are believed to have been shot with a large-caliber handgun at around midnight the night before -- in knee-deep grass. Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene, as reported by local TV station KRIS-TV.com.


Whether the girls' sexuality had anything to do with the attack remains unkown, Wright told MSNBC.com.

"That’s always something that we’re looking for," he said. "But as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack."

The shooting is not being investigated as a hate crime, according to ABC News.

Still, people close to Chapa and Olgin won't forget the brutality of this crime any time soon.

“It’s something that I think all of us are going to carry with us for a while,” Frank Reyna, a friend of both girls, said to MSNBC.com. “It’s going to take a while to get past this, the idea that there is somebody still out there that did this to these two amazing, beautiful people, and that they’re walking free right now.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Video at link