Shenandoah, TX — There’s a fresh coat of paint going on the Shenandoah, TX Econo Lodge. The motel owners recently re-branded from America’s Best Value Inn, but what happened inside one of the rooms here will never be erased.
“And I will always look up at her room and cry,” said Ashley Minga. “I have to see it every day.”
Minga’s daughter, Hayley Farr, was shot and killed at the motel nearly two years ago. Prosecutors say her pimp pulled the trigger.
“I mean, her whole life was in front of her,” said Minga. “19 years old.”
In an exclusive interview, Minga told KHOU 11 News she struggled to help Hayley after her daughter fell into the wrong crowd. She succumbed to drugs, abusive relationships, and prostitution.
“And she couldn’t get herself out of it once she got too deep in it,” said Minga.
Minga is satisfied Hayley’s killer and an accomplice were convicted. She’s now seeking some justice in civil court by filing a lawsuit against motel operators. It claims they ignored issues at the motel.
“I mean, when you have cars coming in and out to different rooms during the night and day, there’s obviously a problem,” said Minga.
Minga’s attorney has filed similar lawsuits against other businesses. They can be held financially liable, thanks to a 2009 Texas law, for knowingly benefitting from sex trafficking.
“It takes a village for this type of problem,” said attorney Ross Bussard. “Whether it’s law enforcement, whether it’s county attorneys bringing nuisance actions, but to us this is the most effective tool that can be brought.”
Minga said Hayley would have turned 22 next January. But she’ll be forever 19 and full of unrealized potential.
“I just don’t want any family, mother, father, sister, brother to go through what I’ve gone through,” said Minga. “Because it does destroy your life.”
Motel owners have not responded to a request for comment. One of them told us he was unaware of the lawsuit. Reporter Jason Miles personally delivered a hard copy. But we still have not hard back.