SAN ANTONIO – A 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder after another man was found fatally shot in his home in South Bexar County earlier this week.
Xavier Arteaga was arrested Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of Rene Carlos Galan.
Bexar County deputies were called to Galan’s home in the 500 block of Hallmark Path, not far from Pleasanton Road and south of Loop 1604, on May 2 for a welfare check.
Deputies made contact with the caller, a relative of Galan, who said the man apparently died of a gunshot wound. Authorities entered the home and found Galan on a recliner in the living room, with gunshot wounds to his arm and torso, according to an arrest affidavit.
Paramedics arrived on scene moments later and pronounced Galan dead.
Investigators conducted an interview with Villanueva, who lived in Galan’s home at the time of the incident and whose full name is being withheld by authorities, according to the affidavit.
Villanueva told deputies he saw Arteaga and a woman, Corinna Rodriguez, come by Galan’s home on May 1 to hang out before Galan dropped them off at a Days Inn hotel off of Weidner Road.
Just a day later, the pair returned to Galan’s home, where they smoked methamphetamine in a back room, according to an affidavit. Galan began to feel sick after having received a COVID-19 vaccine and he was still experiencing side effects, according to investigators.
Galan went back to the living room, sat in his recliner and Villanueva told deputies he heard Arteaga and Rodriguez arguing about a black Hummer vehicle parked outside.
Moments later, gunshots went off and Villanueva told deputies he saw Arteaga open fire on Galan. He told Villanueva, “If you call the cops, I will kill you, I know where you live,” the affidavit states.
Arteaga then gave Villanueva the keys to the Hummer and told him to leave the home, according to officials. Arteaga and the woman left in a black Ford truck at the same time as the man, the affidavit states.
Deputies interviewed other witnesses and Arteaga, who confirmed Rodriguez was having trouble with her Hummer but allegedly gave it to Villanueva to fix it, according to the affidavit.
Arteaga told officials Galan had offered to buy the tires of the Hummer and paid Arteaga. On May 2, after arriving at Galan’s residence, Arteaga told officials he noticed the Hummer was on blocks and additional parts were removed instead of just the tires.
Arteaga claimed Villanueva was upset about missing money and shot Galan, according to the affidavit.
Based on witness testimony and Rodriguez claiming Arteaga had described to her how he fatally shot Galan while inside of the home, deputies concluded Arteaga was responsible for Galan’s death.
The Medical Examiner confirmed Galan’s cause of death was due to multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide.
Arteaga is being held in the Bexar County Jail and his bond is set at $250,000.