Salinas sentenced to life for Elizabeth Ennen murder

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - Humberto Salinas, Jr., 46 pled guilty to Capital Murder Thursday and was sentenced to life without parole.

Salinas pled guilty Thursday morning at the Lubbock County courthouse for the murder of Elizabeth Ennen, 15. Half of the courtroom was filled with Ennen's family members as they waited to share their emotional testimony.

Police say Salinas kidnapped Ennen from the Carriage House Motel where she was babysitting his two children on January 4th, 2011.

Humberto Salinas, Jr. and his son were friends of the Ennen family at the time of her disappearance.

Salinas was known as a friend to the family before he murdered Ennen.

Eight family members testified.  It began with Ennen's cousin, Rick Wallace, who told Salinas that they were not as lucky as him.  "You can still talk to your family," said Wallace, "you took that away from us."

Ennen's aunt, Lily, said it was nearly impossible to befriend acquaintances after what he did.  She mentioned that her grandchildren cannot even play outside.  She pointed out how Salinas initially tried to blame Ennen's murder on his son.

"You threw your own son under the bus," said Lily.  "You have no conscience.  May God have mercy on your soul because no one else will."

Ennen's cousin, Chris Moss, said he could not believe when they passed out flyers after Ennen was reported missing he actually believed that Salinas had passed out flyers when he knew all along that Ennen was dead.

Ennen's mother, Virginia, said she had given Salinas a place to stay when he had nowhere else to go. "This is how you repay us?" Virginia asked.

The Monterey High School student was reported missing by her mother, Virginia Ennen, on Jan. 5, 2011. She reflected on the tragic day when she was stabbed in the back by someone she once considered her friend.

"You stood on my porch when I reported her missing. How sick is that?"  Virginia assured Salinas that the family would no longer waste any more time on him.  She ended the testimony with the statement, "It's time for the honorable judge to take out the trash."

Police say Salinas kidnapped Ennen from the Carriage House Motel on Jan. 4, 2011 where she was babysitting his two children on January 4th, 2011.

Surveillance video shows Salinas forced Ennen into the parking lot after he chased her.  It showed he returned 30 minutes later alone.

Salinas went to the Ennen's house early in the morning on Jan. 5. He told Ennen's mother he had dropped Elizabeth off and she forgot her purse. Police say Salinas actually helped Ennen's mother file the missing person's report. After Ennen was reported missing, Salinas tried to implicate his own son.

Ennen was laid to rest Jan. 28.

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