According to a report by the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, three teenagers from Texas are now facing multiple felony charges after the lifeless body of another teen was discovered in a suburban park last week.
The victim, identified as 19-year-old Nathaniel Navarro, was found shot to death at Satsuma Park in Pasadena on November 2, by his distraught mother.
Authorities have identified the accused as 18-year-old Jeanette Lea Clifton, 17-year-old Serenity Delgado, and 18-year-old Cruz Isaiah Martinez.
Each is facing a count of capital murder in connection with Navarro’s tragic death.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law & Crime, witnesses have provided chilling accounts of the fatal events that unfolded in Harris County’s second-largest city.
One witness reported hearing multiple gunshots, followed by the sound of a car crashing into a tree.
This witness saw two individuals carrying a body to the corner of the park.
Upon investigation, officers discovered a damaged black 2008 Cadillac in the parking lot, with traces of blood nearby and a spent cartridge casing.
Surveillance footage revealed the presence of three people entering the park at 1:13 a.m., followed by Navarro arriving at 1:33 a.m.
Four gunshots rang out in quick succession, after which Navarro’s vehicle collided with a tree. The three suspects then left the scene.
Subsequent footage showed one of the defendants carrying a shovel as they entered the park.
Clifton was later observed with blood on her face and clothes, wearing a hoodie, in footage obtained from a nearby gas station.
Clifton ultimately turned herself into the police, providing critical information about the incident.
She confessed to being present during the altercation, stating that Cruz fired the fatal shots after Navarro’s car approached them in the park.
Clifton revealed that she fled the scene, sustaining injuries as she climbed a chainlink fence.
Delgado and Cruz were arrested prior to Clifton’s surrender. Delgado’s mother subsequently reported their involvement to the police.
Delgado admitted to paying for marijuana with counterfeit money during the drug deal, which led to the tragic shooting.
The initial plan to steal Navarro’s car was abandoned due to the extensive damage it suffered.
All three defendants eventually waived their Miranda rights and corroborated various details of the incident during interviews with law enforcement.
Clifton, Delgado, and Cruz face additional charges related to tampering with evidence and a human corpse.
These harrowing events have left the community in shock, grappling with the senseless loss of a young life.
The accused teens are currently held in the Harris County Jail, and prosecutors have requested that they be kept separate.
As the investigation continues, the court proceedings will determine the course of justice for this devastating crime that has left an indelible mark on the community.
