SAN ANTONIO – Officials have identified two people killed within hours of each other on Tuesday as the charges for the suspected killer have been upgraded.
Felix Garcia, 37, and Mary Sanchez, 45, were found dead at two separate crime scenes in South Bexar County, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Morales, 36, is accused of killing both Garcia and Sanchez, his common-law wife. He now faces two charges of capital murder, which each carry a $1 million bond. He was originally charged with two counts of murder.
A child found Garcia dead Tuesday morning outside a home in the 1900 block of Sandy Circle.
According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, he was killed around midnight Tuesday. He said Morales went to the home to look for Garcia to charge a debt that was owed for marijuana.
An argument escalated into a struggle outdoors, Salazar said, and Morales stabbed Garcia in the upper body with a screwdriver.
Child finds dead relative’s body in backyard
Morales returned to his home in the 900 block of Mogford, about two miles from the Sandy Circle scene, and told Sanchez about the incident with Garcia.
The woman became irate after hearing about the killing and an argument ensued between them, Salazar said.
The argument then became physical, and Morales grabbed a rifle and shot the woman at least once in the upper body, Salazar said.
A 25-year-old witness who was at the home told deputies Morales took off in a vehicle and rammed a gate in the property. BCSO deputies were called to the home around 11:40 a.m.
Deputies caught up to Morales a few miles away and took him into custody.
During questioning, Morales confessed to both murders, Salazar said.
“The night before, we did hear them arguing, you know, screams and stuff like that,” said a woman who lives next door to Morales who didn’t want to be identified. “I’m going to buy me a gun, too. I mean, to defend myself ... you never know what people are capable of nowadays.”
