A judge in Texas sentenced a 25-year-old man to prison for killing a 16-year-old cheerleader who was found dead in her apartment bathtub.

Rafael Govea Romero was sentenced to two life terms plus an additional 20 years for the murder and robbery of Lizbeth Medina. Lizbeth’s body was discovered by her mother in December 2023, found dead in the bathtub of her Edna apartment, located about 100 miles southwest of Houston.

Jacqueline Medina, Lizbeth’s mom, released the following statement to Crossroads Today following the sentencing hearing.

I don’t believe he deserves any of my words because that would give him power. However, if I were to tell him anything, it would be that he didn’t win. To those who never knew Lizbeth: she was incredibly kind-hearted. Her goofy and humorous nature made her a light in any room she entered. She was compassionate and full of dreams that she pursued wholeheartedly. She dreamed of being a princess, she wanted to help others by feeding them, and at 16, she was already on her path, earning certifications and taking on side jobs to achieve her goals. She was driven and loved everyone unconditionally. Although she was taken from me at 16, she will forever be my little girl. That’s her—Lizzo, my Lizzo. I will continue advocating for her because it’s what she deserves. I’ll keep fighting for justice for her and others. Hearing the word “guilty” in court was overwhelming; it was a moment we’d awaited for nearly two years, and processing it was intense.

As previously reported by Law&Crime, Romero, who had overstayed his work visa, was arrested a few days following the homicide approximately 60 miles away in Schulenburg.

“Although Romero has been captured, we acknowledge that Lizbeth’s family and friends are grieving and will continue to require community support,” Edna Police Chief Rick Boone stated in a news release.

Jacqueline Medina shared with local CBS affiliate KHOU that her daughter was “murdered in cold blood” only a year after moving to Edna from Nebraska. Medina discovered her daughter’s death after worrying when Lizbeth did not appear with her cheer squad at a Christmas parade.

“It should have been a joyous occasion because she was to participate in the Christmas parade with the cheer squad,” the heartbroken mother recalled, referring to Lizbeth as “my world, my everything.”

Lizbeth’s aunt wrote in a GoFundMe page that her niece “was loved by many but most importantly she is loved and will be missed by the family.” She leaves behind several family and friends who have been “torn apart from this tragedy.”