Capital Murder Trial Begins in Roque Case
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The Community Newspaper of Bridge City & Orangefield TheRecordLive.com The Penny Record Vol. 62 No. 11 Distributed FREE To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield Week of Wednesday, August 25, 2021 Capital Murder trial begins in Roque case DEBBY SCHAMBER For The Record Trial testimony began Tuesday in the case of Yo- vahnis Roque, 28, who is ac- cused of the February 2019 Part of new Bridge City football coach Cody McGuire’s promoting murder of his two-year-old his new program to players involves championship aspirations, as daughter, Savannah. depicted by a Michael Jordan six-ring photo and game balls from The state is seeking Capi- Austin Westlake’s back-to-back state championships. tal Murder charges. If found RECORD PHOTO: Dave Rogers guilty, Roque could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Orange County However, Roque’s defense attorney, Ryan Gertz, an- nounced on behalf of his cli- football squads ent, a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Assistant District Attor- ney, Bard Anderson, began kick-off Friday opening statements by tell- ing jurors, “I’m sorry.” He DAVE ROGERS trict 11-4A-I. added the information pre- For The Record While the Redbirds will sented in court was going to kick off their season at Buna be horrific. The Friday night lights go Friday night, Little Cypress- Anderson then began lay- on for keeps this week as the Mauriceville fans will travel ing out the facts of the case. 2021 Texas high school foot- to Hamshire-Fannett to see He stated an officer was ball season kicks off. their new coach, Eric Peevey, flagged down and was in- At least one team – Bridge coach the Bears for the first formed of the incident in the City – will be plenty familiar time. 500 block of Azalea. When with the lights, though. Four-time state champion the officer arrived at the res- Under new head coach West Orange-Stark is hoping idence, he found the defen- Cody McGuire, the Cardi- to have Coach Cornel dant naked and covered in nals have been hitting the Thompson on the sidelines what was believed to be field for 5:30 a.m. workouts Friday at Nederland after blood near the front door. since school classes began Coach “T” spent time this The officer ordered Roque two weeks ago. week in a Beaumont hospital down to the ground and No after-school workouts after testing positive for CO- crawl a short distance from for these guys. VID-19. the house before he was “It’s the way Coach (Todd) Meanwhile, Orangefield handcuffed. Officers entered Dodge did it in Austin and will be hosting Anahuac Fri- the home to discover blood it’s really good for the heat day and looking to continue on various surfaces. They Yovahnis Roque, 28. of Orange, is escorted from the courthouse by deputies with the Orange here,” McGuire said. “Of its playoff streak after earn- checked all the rooms before County Sheriff’s Office. Roque faces Capital Murder Charges in the death of his two-year-old course, it gets hot in Austin, ing the final berth from 11- they went to the bedroom daughter Savannah. Trail testimony continues Wednesday. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber too. 4A-I and making the post- filled with little girl’s toys nah not only suffered from a “The best part if we get off season with a .500 record. which were strewn about. As Anderson went over conclusion of his opening large gash to her skull, but in the field Wednesday morn- McGuire, a former second- The door to the closet was the details of the injuries Sa- statements. addition had bruises, both ing at 7:30 and don’t do any- team all-Big 12 Conference open. Inside the closet is vannah received, Roque cov- Gertz stood and faced the old and new. thing until Friday night at pick for Texas Tech, is hop- where they found Savan- ered his face with his hands jury and began his case by “Evidence will show he 7:30.” ing to do more than just copy nah’s body next to a blood and sobbed loudly. quoting Dr. Edward Gripon, knew what he did was McGuire was a member of Dodge’s practice schedule. soaked pillow case, accord- Anderson also told jurors who was appointed by the wrong,” Anderson said at the Dodge’s staff at Austin West- Dodge, who grew up in Or- ing to Anderson. the autopsy revealed Savan- ROQUE Page 2A lake the past two seasons as ange before becoming a Pa- the Chaparrals won back-to- rade All-American in Port back Class 6A Division I Arthur, played quarterback Governments, schools scramble at COVID spike state crowns. at University of Texas and He was hired to lift up a has coached six state champs, program that finished 1-6 a DAVE ROGERS year ago competing in Dis- ORANGE COUNTY Page 3A For The Record As COVID-19 infected an- LSCO’s Wilkerson gets other 691 of its residents this week, Orange County signed up with Jefferson, Jasper and Congressional Recognition Newton counties to establish an infusion center in Beau- mont to treat the infected before they have to go to the hospital. Also: * West Orange-Cove schools became Orange County’s first school district to defy Gov. Greg Abbott’s order against requiring stu- dents and teachers to wear masks. * Orange County Commis- sioners voted unanimously to grant a 10-year tax abate- ment for the medical center and mini-hospital at Inter- A patient is assisted from a gurney to a wheelchair upon arrival at the Regional Infusion Center in state 10 and Highway 62. Beaumont Monday morning. The center provides outpatient infusion treatment for adults ages 12 * West Orange-Stark foot- and up. RECORD PHOTO: Dave Rogers ball coaching legend Cornel Thompson was released and Aug. 18 don’t specify COVID test, or just a rapid While WOC avoided a Tuesday after being hospital- “new” cases, only active ones. test. board vote on its mask man- ized in Beaumont with COV- The county was not post- Ardoin said that 28 COV- date which took effect Mon- ID-19, he said. ing reports for several ID sufferers from Orange day by including it as a “dress Because of the way the months before Aug. 10. But if County were hospitalized, code” requirement, Orange- county reports COVID stats, you consider the number of and only two of those had field’s school district stressed it’s difficult to compare ap- active cases reported Aug. 10 previously taken the COVID that no decision regarding ples to apples (no written (388) rose by 258 (to 646) by vaccine. masks was on Monday’s version of Tuesday’s Com- Aug. 18, the addition of 691 The Texas State Depart- board agenda. missioners Court COVID re- … that’s a bunch. ment of Health Services re- But four parents opposed port was available at press Joel Ardoin, EM coordina- ports Orange County had to mask requirements made tor for the county, said Tues- 957 active cases of COV- their opinions clear. LSCO student, Steven Wilkerson, received a Special Certificate time), and while 691 new cas- of Congressional Recognition from Congressman Brian Babin’s es were reported, the total day the number was so high ID-19 as of close of business Most said they had older office for completing their 2021 Summer Intern Program this number of active cases because of a backlog. Of the Tuesday. Nearly 10,000 children who had their se- summer. wasn’t. 691, he said 91 were con- county residents had recov- nior years “stolen” by COV- On campus, Wilkerson is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa On the other hand, the re- firmed and 600 were “proba- ered from COVID, while 162 ID-19 shutdowns of gradua- Honor Society and the Speech and Debate Team. A graduate of ports posted on the Office of ble,” which meant it was a have died. Only 31 percent of tion activities in 2019 or West Orange-Stark High School, he hopes to go to law school and Emergency Management case in which a patient had those 12 or over have been become an attorney. COVID SPIKE Page 3A Facebook page dated Aug. 10 symptoms but did not have a vaccinated. CMYK 2A • The Record • Week of Wednesday, August 25, 2021 Roque murder trial underway From Page 1 court to assess Roque’s men- stood. His replies were remember the events but did tal health. mixed with a “yes” or “no” remember things he had “If Yovhanis Roque was response. When asked if he done to Savannah. not insane, then no one is understood his rights, Roque When Roque was asked if insane,” Gertz quoted responded by saying,” Hu- he knew the difference be- Gripon. man rights.” tween right and wrong, he Gertz added Roque’s men- Henry described how they continued to deny killing his tal issues are more than ab- uncovered Savannah’s body daughter, but said if he did it normal. He told jurors in the closet amongst the would be wrong. Roque is now heavily medi- other items. Photos admit- “I did not kill my daugh- cated and the dosage is be- ted into evidence showed ter,” Roque said in the video. yond what is considered a the blood spatter and her During the course of the “normal” dosage. lifeless body. interview with OPD Major Roque has a long family Found among the items in Sparky Robinson, when history of mental illness.