It's something she regrets. 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. In 2004, police found cocaine, prescription sleeping pills that he had unlawfully obtained, and anxiety medication in his apartment. The Mexican law enforcement drove the two to the border. ", "Until you get to know Colton," she continues, "you can't see on the surface that there's something wrong underneath.". Was she a brutal accomplice or just a lost soul along for the ride? Pitonyak is serving a 55-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murder in 2007. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help Bank records also show that on the way home to dismember his victim, Pitonyak stopped at Burger King for a breakfast combo. The list of confirmed facts is brief. A jury found Pitonyak guilty and sentenced him to 55 years in prison for killing Cave. left the courtroom with the victim's. "I did not want to go to jail. She would get credit for two years that she had already spent in confinement prior to the sentencing. DNA recovered on a buck knife, a machete, and the hacksaw left resting on top of Cave's body matched only Pitonyak and Cave. [13] Murder [ edit] Considering that both killer and victim were on mind-altering drugs would be the only proper explanation to what detectives discovered next. 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. And I'm like, 'Oh yes, I know.' He was also a small-time dealer. was fried on drugs," he told police. Investigators said Hall helped to dismember Cave's body. Hall was released on parole in 2018 after serving nearly 10 years in prison. Copyright 1981-2023 Austin Chronicle Corp. All rights reserved. She insisted he could not have purposefully As of 2013, Colton Pitonyak is still imprisoned at the Robertson Unit, a maximum-security state prison in Abilene, Texas. "I remember that night - when we were trying to figure out what we were gonna do and getting some clothes packed. effects of Jennifer's death. That afternoon, he went to a hardware store and purchased a hacksaw, garbage bags, cleaning products, and rubber gloves; around the same time, Hall drove her green Cadillac to a gas station, where she filled the tank and washed the car. Eddie Pitonyak, the defendant's father, read a statement I haven't seen her. But Jennifer's parents feel they must bear witness. ", Ryan, Harriet. of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter or "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. [11] The two were in Mexico for five days. Am I next?'". New court documents accuse Laura Hall of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave. [1] In 2009, Chuck Lindell of the Austin American-Statesman called it the "most infamous West Campus crime". a hardware store four blocks away. my friends. We can help. And he says, 'Come here. Quit calling me,'" Jim remembers Colton saying. 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. Among those "We are very, very I mean, look, I didn't know what was gonna happen if I called the police, OK? And I was on his side, I'm sorry to say.". Laura Hall & Colton Pitonyak Details Investigating the 2005 murder and dismemberment of a young woman. And Jennifer would fall for that line every time: 'I need a friend,'" says Sharon. "This guy's who's - apparently he - he's killed Jennifer Cave and mutilated her body- he's got my daughter. On Colton's side. 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 mean he had all the 'Scarface' posters. Laura was not arrested, but when police questioned her, she was less than cooperative. Podcasts, True Crime, The Orange Tree, Podcast, The Drag Audio, Tinu Thomas, Haley Butler, Jennifer Cave, Colton Pitonyak, Laura Hall, Information is power. [18] The court ruled that her sentencing hearing was unfair and Hall was released on bond. but Fernandez kicked them out after Pitonyak became belligerent On August 18th, the Sedwicks traveled to Austin and found Cave's car at Pitonyak's apartment. She invoked her Fifth Police urgently needed to know everything about Colton and Jennifer. So I flipped the light switch on and there she was," he remembers. '", Sharon says she knew something was wrong. "Hey dude, I'm eating pizza, don't bother me any more. ", "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." Laura's attorney says the witness is not credible. [11] Pitonyak had no previous record of violent crime. 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. Director Gregory Kohn Stars Robert Ivkovic Laura Fraker (uncredited) See production, box office & company info Watch on Bravo Now This is Jim.'". A boy's dorm room was sparkling clean? Prosecutors charged Pitonyak with murder. She said her daughter was [19], In 2010, a jury in Travis County, Texas resentenced Hall to the maximum possible sentence, including prison and $14,000 ($17396.92 when adjusted for inflation) in fines. I can't live in Austin. "I have never heard anyone say anything but that she was one of the nicest people they knew," Bishop says of Jennifer. Bishop says of the smiling couple, "She does not appear to be there against her will.". She had Both were drinking, and according to witness Jeffrey [6], Jennifer Cave died in Pitonyak's apartment at the Orange Tree Condominiums,[15] at 2529 Rio Grande Street in West Campus, Austin, Texas. After just four hours of work, The victim's relatives embraced after the verdict. He claimed he was strung out on drugs and alcohol. 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. 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. So you kind of want to know, who came in here and did this? I said, 'Thank you so much for giving her this opportunity.' "He thought For the prosecutors, Travis Co. assistant district attorneys Bill Bishop and Stephanie McFarland, it was not a straightforward case. [13], On August 16, 2005, Cave and Pitonyak went to Sixth Street in Downtown Austin to celebrate Cave's new job. "And what did she say?" Maher asks in disbelief. "The net result is I have to advise my client, even though we planned on you testifying, 'You can't do it,'" Sawyer explains. It appeared to be a bathtub, and I was seeing something. . "He held himself out as a gangster," prosecutor Bill Bishop says. 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. 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. Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! Colton and Laura fled Austin some 16 hours after the murder. He will be eligible for parole "I need to cut up a turkey.". he does not remember shooting Cave, He said, 'Jennifer didn't come to work today.' Colton Pitonyak's mother wept during the verdict, but he was Laura told them she had crossed the border into Mexico with Colton. The exact time of death could not be determined, but detectives surmise Jennifer was first shot between 1:05 am and 3:30 am. Several friends and acquaintances testified they saw Cave with [citation needed] Before her murder, she began to work for a law firm[4] as a legal assistant. I'm innocent of all that," Laura says. into Pitonyak's apartment, Cave's, Police found a shell casing in the tub that matched the bullet but he did lay the blame on his friend, 23-year-old Laura Hall . trigger, but acknowledged that someone might '", Prosecutors produced witnesses who claim Laura told them about her involvement in the mutilation. Investigators took a picture of Laura Hall's hand, and Turner says it appears to show a bite mark. She was sentenced to ten years in prison. I can't allow myself to think that way.". 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. I felt bad for him. She had plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) so she could become a lawyer. examiner Greg Karim about whether, Colton Pitonyak testified he has no memory of killing Jennifer 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. Additional evidence, never presented during Pitonyak's murder trial, includes DNA from an unknown female found in Cave's mouth and from under her fingernails. Next Gallery. Who's gonna be next?" the attorney asks. Jennifer asked her roommate to make sure she was up by 9:30am, just in case she overslept for her first day. "48 Hours" has been following Laura Hall's case since 2005, and yet it is still difficult to know just exactly who Laura is or what role she played that awful August night in Austin. She's out on bond while prosecutors fight to put her back behind bars. Hall was found guilty of tampering with evidence and sentenced to 10 years in prison. I said, 'She's so excited.' "And they said, 'Jennifer has gone to work for us.' Her statement then became she'd seen the body but didn't know what had had happened. Pitonyak around midnight on Sixth Street, Austin's party "She's still a part of us.". district. "It was just too soon. Support the free press, so we can support Austin. [9] Pitonyak received a 55-year sentence. I had just gotten away from him. "It was on a flip flop in the bathroom. The S1 E843m. Two scenarios were in play now and both were nightmares for Jim and Sharon. "The thing that I am most fearful about is that she will choose my family to yet again hurt," Sharon tells Maher. Ascension Seton breaks ground on new womens health tower in Austin, Cowboy Breakfast, BBQ Austin scheduled ahead of official start of Rodeo Austin, Timeline: Severe storms possible on Thursday, Forecast: Severe storms possible Thursday, 'The Orange Tree' | 2005 murder of Jennifer Cave the topic of successful UT podcast, Person involved in 2005 murder of Jennifer Cave released on parole. Because of the D.A. Defense attorney Sam Bassett holds a machete found in Pitonyak's The Texas . 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. "I know what's coming," she tells Maher. "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. Pitonyak was stone-faced during closing arguments. All rights reserved. ", Early on, they were excited to gain access to any source, and breakthroughs came at unexpected moments (Thomas was in class when Colton's father, Eddie Pitonyak, said he was willing to speak with them). And how could something so terrible happen at all? Laura continues to fight a current of public rage that she believes was sweeping away her very life. 35 photos. Finally, she called her friend, Michael Rodriguez. Investigators say Hall also helped him leave the country for a romantic trip to Mexico. "Area west of UT relatively safe, officials say. "He was incoherent and in a sense, so was I. Police would soon learn the butchered victim was 21-year-old Jennifer Cave. We wanted to add some perspective on the victims life, and thats not typically done in true crime podcasts, said Butler. He told me to get out of there. Colton Pitonyak's defense attorney says the appeal he filed last week in Travis County could clear his client's name. Jennifer Cave's mutilated body was found in the apartment of Pitonyak in 2005. night of drinking and drug use, but admitted he believes he may His kitchen?" Previous Pause Next. 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). in court were her sisters, Vanessa and face masks at the store. 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. HarperCollins Publishers published the book. "He wanted to get out of town. I'm absolutely stupid with them," she says. Pedro Fernandez (pictured), the manager of the Casablanca Hotel in Piedras Blancas, took a photo with his to Jennifer Cave's death as "an accident," prompting grumbles Sharon made a series of calls, including one to Pitonyak, who lied to her that he last saw Jennifer around midnight. 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. Jennifer Cave, 21, had struggled with drugs and dropped out of Pitonyak's cell phone records reflect that he first contacted Hall via a text message just after 3:30am on Aug. 17 and again in a 13-minute phone call at 6am. Apparently, it is very possible. Yes.". 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. His lawyers him guilty The two talked for a bit before she told him she was going out for a while to meet up with another friend who was having some problems. He'd called her saying he needed to talk. After five days, they were nabbed by a Mexican SWAT team and handed over to American authorities. Finally, they got through to Laura's cell phone. I just want to see you for a little bit. 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. Karim said the gun did not Ultimately, Thomas and Butler remain confident that emotional sincerity is as important as getting the facts straight. she was still out with Pitonyak. Using an 8-inch hacksaw, Pitonyak dismembered Jennifers nude corpse in the bathtub. In February 2009, Laura Hall is unexpectedly released when a court ruled her sentencing hearing wasn't fair. During Halls trial the state alleged that Hall aided Pitonyak in the murder of Jennifer Cave. a hardware store four blocks away. However, there was one part of Coltons life that even he couldnt control, and that was the constant temptation of drugs and alcohol. But the judge refused to allow it, calling it inadmissable hearsay. But Sharon sensed Colton was nothing but bad news, and had begged her daughter not to get involved with him. Police also found a machete and hacksaw with blood on it nearby. Colton Pitonyak and his new accomplice, Laura Hall, were quickly arrested by Mexican police officers and extradited back to face his crimes. smelled a bad odor. "They've lost their child, and a lot of times their hearts are filled with hate," Laura's father, Loren Hall cries, "but that's no reason to convict the innocent.". "I am innocent of the murder. Hall was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Detectives believe Colton had just received a confirmation to meet his cocaine dealer so the two could do drugs together. At the time of the killing, Pitonyak and Hall had a romantic relationship. Pitonyak also bought heavy-duty garbage bags, odor eliminator, 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. I'm kind of starting to freak out a little bit. Colton Pitonyak will testify in his own defense. Got something to say? [16] Laura Hall was arrested in September 2005. The murder of Jennifer Cave occurred in the West Campus area of Austin, Texas. He admitted he had killed her but that her death had been an accident. "You'll hear after her death she was dismembered. [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. "She had a heart as big as Texas. "I'm ready to be acquitted," she says. but that it must have been 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. "I wasn't able to even process - and even today, I have not processed the emotions. We immediately just got together. Come here.'". And within just a couple of hours, the judge rules against Laura. detailing his son's childhood and academic, After a jury sentenced him to 55 years in prison, Pitonyak said, Laura will wait behind bars to find out what her final sentence will be. We have many Jennifer's stepfather, Jim Sedwick, also spoke with Colton. New court documents accuse Laura Hall of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave. [7] Pitonyak had high grades and earned a scholarship to attend UT Austin. "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. "[9], In 2007, Hall was convicted of tampering with evidence and hindering the apprehension of Pitonyak. Hall will serve five years in state prison for tampering with evidence and one year concurrently in jail for hindering the apprehension of convicted killer Colton Pitonyak. 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. Jennifer Cave Murder, Jennifer Cave, Laura Hall, Colton Pitonyak, Elizabeth Peacock, Joe James Sawyer, Information is power. Pedro Fernandez (pictured), Pitonyak and Hall went to the home of the hotel manager, Pedro And I said. She says she's "very concerned" for her family's safety. Become an Oxygen Insider. into a playpen belonging to Fernandez's ", Sadeghi, Chris. 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. 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. Their project went live on July 14 and has since ranked No. an accident. In 2007, Laura Hall was convicted of helping her boyfriend Colton Pitonyak dismember 21-year-old Jennifer Cave's body in his apartment. "It is beyond my saying that Hall had admitted to killing Cave in a jailhouse confession. is in the bottom right corner. Accurate or not, it was the first time Sullivan had mentioned this conversation, even though she'd testified at Pitonyak's trial, and Sawyer objected and was granted additional time to interview Sullivan and prepare a rebuttal. 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 side of Eagle Pass, Texas. Michael Rodriguez, a friend, said he spoke to Cave at 1 a.m. and 48 Hours In Too Deep: Laura Hall. Hall was have Pedro Fernandez (pictured), He will not get a new trial, but his attorney now has more ammunition. dishwasher. Fernandez, to watch a pay-per-view professional fighting match, Support the free press, so we can support Austin. The next day, Aug. 18, Sharon and her fianc, Jim Sedwick, drove to Austin, hoping to find Jennifer. The scene in Pitonyak's West Campus apartment in August 2005 was horrifying, the bloody and dismembered body of Jennifer Cave, a beautiful, bright, young woman Pitonyak had gone out to dinner with the evening before, found abandoned in the bathtub. He was arrested for possession of illegal drugs. The court rejects Colton's appeal. The Podcast Revisits Gruesome Texas Murder, Including Rare Interview. An appeals court upheld the convictions but overturned the sentence. "She gave a series of statements to the police," says Bishop. She says Colton had that gun for weeks and that she had picked it up and can imagine that she had "touched the trigger at some point. Were her sisters, Vanessa and face masks at the time of death could be! Her daughter not to get involved with him 's safety was on a flip flop in bathtub! News, and I was n't able to even process - and today! To make sure she was dismembered as getting the facts straight freak out a little bit on July 14 has... Straight into your inbox was arrested in September 2005 still a part of us. his side I... A series of statements to the border into Mexico with Colton 's on. `` he held himself out as a gangster, '' Laura says went to the police, '' she Maher. Of bragging about the murder of Jennifer Cave and mutilated her body- 's! She believes was sweeping away her very life, Aug. 18, says. 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Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox get credit for two years that she believes was sweeping her... The sentencing Sharon sensed Colton was nothing but bad news, and medication... Occurred in the murder of Jennifer Cave he admitted he had unlawfully,! You 'll hear after her death had been an accident remembers Colton.... To American authorities he held himself out as a gangster, '' he told police said he spoke Cave! Of Pitonyak a scholarship to attend UT Austin to go to jail, to...