Reporting on Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
abc13.com
Reported coverage offers a concise introduction.
1993 · Houston, Texas
Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Teen & school
Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Peña were attacked and murdered while taking a shortcut home in Houston in 1993. A group of gang members participated in the crimes. Their deaths led to multiple trials and years of reporting about the victims and the defendants’ sentences.
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The Story
When1993
WhereHouston, Texas
In this collection31 resources
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Texas True Crime — Pure Evil (S4 E1)
Apple TV
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Murder in America — Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña (Episode 243)
Apple Podcasts
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Blogs & Essays
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From the journal
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Blogs & essays
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Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Bonnie’s Blog of Crime
Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña: case resources
A dated blog resource post gathers reporting, book references and court links about the two teenagers’ murders.
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Books
CONTINUE YOUR READING
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Books
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
2 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
Apple TV
Texas True Crime — Pure Evil (S4 E1)
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
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Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & episode details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
Texas True Crime — Pure Evil (2025)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Listed release: 2025. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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Audiobooks
An audiobook edition has not been confirmed for this case yet. You can check the audiobook catalog or explore the case’s podcasts.
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Apple Podcasts
Murder in America — Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña (Episode 243)
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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Rotten Mango
#87: The Devil’s Pass Killers (Case of Elizabeth Peña & Jennifer Ertman)
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released August 12, 2021. About 86 minutes.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
Crossing Paths With Evil: PART ONE, The Tragic Story of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released February 11, 2025. About 65 minutes.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
Crossing Paths With Evil: PART TWO, The Tragic Story of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released February 18, 2025. About 56 minutes.
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Crime and Coffee Couple - True Crime Podcast
The murders of Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released February 25, 2024. About 48 minutes.
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The lonestar187's Podcast
Case File 68 - Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released June 29, 2025. About 86 minutes.
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Lurking In the Shadows Podcast
The Unthinkable Murders of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released March 26, 2026. About 69 minutes.
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True Crime with Kimbyr
Part 3: Best Friends’ Summer Turns Deadly: The Elizabeth Peña & Jennifer Ertman Tragedy
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released June 18, 2025. About 30 minutes.
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True Crime with Kimbyr
Part 2: Best Friends’ Summer Turns Deadly: The Elizabeth Peña & Jennifer Ertman Tragedy
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released June 16, 2025. About 31 minutes.
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True Crime with Kimbyr
Part 1: Best Friends’ Summer Turns Deadly: The Elizabeth Peña & Jennifer Ertman Tragedy
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released June 13, 2025. About 33 minutes.
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Pretty Twisted Podcast
02 - The Murders of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Pena
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released July 13, 2026. About 57 minutes.
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Fruitloops: Serial Killers of Color
E77: The Murders of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released April 30, 2020. About 92 minutes.
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Human Wreckage True Crime
“The Shortcut — The Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña Case”
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released December 5, 2025. About 14 minutes.
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Just The Tip-Sters: True Crime Podcast
87. Sounds Like Light Shattering Darkness - Jennifer Ertman, Elizabeth Pena And The Quest For Justice
Podcast coverage of the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Released June 18, 2019. About 77 minutes.
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Rotten Mango · Stephanie Soo
Rotten Mango — Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña (Episode 87)
Episode 87 discusses Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña. The official episode page identifies this case and provides the show’s listening options. Contains descriptions of violence; this is podcast commentary, not a court record.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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Talk about sources and storytelling with care for the people affected. A documentary, a book and a court record serve different purposes.
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
1 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Pure Murder
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemsabc13.com
Reporting on Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
2 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Marshall News Messenger · 2008-08-07 · Page 10
Medellin executed after international legal dispute
The report covers Jose Medellin's execution for his role in the murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Peña and the dispute over consular access.
Historical reporting on the execution and international treaty arguments.
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The Marshall News Messenger · 2006-11-16 · Page 6
Texas court rejects Medellin's treaty argument
Coverage examines a Texas ruling on whether international proceedings and a presidential directive required additional review of Medellin's case.
Historical legal reporting; the clipping also contains unrelated local material.
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Internet Archive
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Docket & document indexOfficial court
Medellín v. Texas — U.S. Supreme Court docket
The Supreme Court’s official proceedings-and-orders register for José Medellín’s appeal, connected with the prosecution for Jennifer Ertman’s and Elizabeth Peña’s murders. The register lists filings and case milestones.
- Court / agency
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Document date
- 2007–2008
- Case / citation
- 06-984
- Hosted by
- U.S. Supreme Court
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
9 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Kimbyrleigha
DEADLY Shortcut: Best Friends Murdered On Their Way Home At Night | Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Video from Kimbyrleigha covering the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Length: 1:37:57.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
65: Crossing Paths With Evil: PART ONE, The Tragic Story of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Video from Residue: A True Crime Podcast covering the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Length: 1:01:12.
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KPRC 2 Click2Houston
1993 - Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murder
Video from KPRC 2 Click2Houston covering the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Length: 1:51.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
Crossing Paths With Evil: PART TWO, The Tragic Story of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña
Video from Residue: A True Crime Podcast covering the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Length: 52:20.
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ABC13 Houston
Victims advocate to urge parole board to deny release of man involved in 1993 Ertman-Pena murders
Video from ABC13 Houston covering the Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña case. Length: 3:21.
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Facebook · Creator community
Murder In America — Facebook group
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP 243 - TEXAS: THE DARKEST CRIME IN TEXAS HISTORY: The Gang Killings of Elizabeth Peña and Jennifer Ertman.” This discussion group covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. Group rules or membership approval may limit access.
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Facebook · Creator channel
Murder In America — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP 243 - TEXAS: THE DARKEST CRIME IN TEXAS HISTORY: The Gang Killings of Elizabeth Peña and Jennifer Ertman.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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Facebook · Creator channel
Fruitloops: Serial Killers of Color — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “E77: The Murders of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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Facebook · Creator community
Fruitloops: Serial Killers of Color — Facebook group
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “E77: The Murders of Jennifer Ertman & Elizabeth Peña.” This discussion group covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. Group rules or membership approval may limit access.
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