Brutal killing of teenage girl tied to suspects' satanic ritual Clear Lake student was beaten, mutilated in bewildering attack by two friends, prosecutors say

Charges have been filed against two suspects arrested in the death of a female found at 16447 El Camino Real about 4:10 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 8). Suspect Jose E. Reyes (H/m, DOB: 10-24-96) is charged with capital murder in the 338th State District Court. A second male suspect, 16, has been referred to the Harris County Juvenile Probation Authority on a charge of capital murder. The victim, 15, suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. less Charges have been filed against two suspects arrested in the death of a female found at 16447 El Camino Real about 4:10 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 8). Suspect Jose E. Reyes (H/m, DOB: 10-24-96) is charged with ... more Photo: HPD Booking Mug Photo: HPD Booking Mug Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Brutal killing of teenage girl tied to suspects' satanic ritual 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

A judge has ordered that a juvenile remain jailed on a capital murder charge in the Feb. 5 sexual assault and death of 15-year-old Corriann Cervantes.

The 16-year-old boy, whose name is not being released because of his age, made a brief court appearance Wednesday before a juvenile judge. The judge ruled the boy will remain in a juvenile detention facility until his next court appearance on Feb. 18.

Prosecutors allege the 16-year-old and 17-year-old Jose E. Reyes sexually assaulted and then killed Cervantes in a vacant Clear Lake apartment in an effort to make a deal with the devil.

Brian Fischer, the 16-year-old's attorney, said he couldn't comment on the case.

Reyes remains jailed without bond.

Cervantes' partially clothed, mutilated body was found in an abandoned apartment Saturday in Clear Lake. An upside down cross had been carved into the girl's stomach.

Authorities arrested Reyes, 17, on Sunday, and the 16-year-old boy on Monday. All three teens were students at a Clear Creek ISD alternative school.

"They were all very good friends, and I don't understand why they would do that to her," said a 16-year-old friend who met the three while all were enrolled at Clear Lake Intermediate School. The girl said she had drifted away from the group after they started experimenting with marijuana.

"They used to be the sweetest people you could ever meet," the girl said of the suspects. She described Cervantes as an outspoken girl with a big heart.

Assistant Harris County District Attorney John Jordan disclosed details of the occult killing Tuesday but provided no explanation for what may have motivated the two boys or where their interest in devil worship had come from.

"They discussed the fact that Mr. Reyes had sold his soul to the devil," said Jordan. "And if they ended up killing this teenager, it would allow the 16-year-old to also sell his soul to the devil."

Jordan said investigators believe the two boys decided to kill Cervantes while inside a vacant unit of The Bays Apartments on El Camino Real. Cervantes was in a different room at the time, he said.

The prosecutor would not say what the trio was doing there on a Wednesday evening.

Trapped in the vacant apartment, Cervantes screamed out, "Why are you doing this to me?" and tried to run, authorities said.

The teenage boys allegedly grabbed her and held her down while they hit her with an ashtray and a heavy porcelain lid from a toilet tank. They are accused of using a screwdriver to stab the 15-year-old girl in the face and sexually assaulting her with the plastic rod pulled from window blinds.

Cervantes was beat, strangled and stabbed until she stopped screaming forever.

An apartment resident found Cervantes' body around 4 a.m. Saturday after noticing the front door was ajar.

Authorities are trying to determine whether Cervantes died from strangulation, the blows she received to her head or from internal injuries from the sexual assault, Jordan said.

Tuesday's revelation about the teen's death shocked her family.

"It's horrific what happened to my niece," said Catera Cervantes, the victim's aunt. "I didn't even know the full details of it until I saw it on the news, and we're all trying to cope with it the best way we can."

Jordan said Reyes told family members what happened to the girl, and they called the authorities.

Both of the teens face life in prison if convicted of capital murder. Suspects who are under 18 are not eligible for the death penalty, Jordan said.

Reyes is in the Harris County Jail with no bail. The 16-year-old is behind bars in the Harris County juvenile detention center.

In a brief hearing Tuesday, juvenile court Judge Kelly Graul heard the allegations of strangling, beating and stabbing before ruling there was enough evidence to hold the teen.

No decisions have been made by prosecutors on whether the 16-year-old will be tried as an adult.

As a light rain fell Tuesday on the apartment complex where Cervantes' body was found, neighbors said the working-class community has become an eerie ghost town as more details emerge about the killing.

"Who knows how long these kids have been walking around here," said Tom Brady, 35. "Our daughter has to interact with people like that."