SAN ANTONIO – Surveillance video of a deadly shooting was one of the first pieces of evidence shown to a jury in the murder trial of a San Antonio teen.
Mario Duarte, 19, is one of two people accused in the deadly shooting of 16-year-old Sabstein Diaz in September 2020.
According to the prosecution, Diaz was at a North Side apartment complex to sell drugs to Duarte and his cousin, Julian Vera.
The apartment complex security camera caught the moments Duarte and Vera walked up to the SUV Diaz was driving. They were seen running off about a minute later.
The vehicle can then be seen reversing, with three passengers later exiting and running away. Diaz then walked out and collapsed.
A witness named Loudermilk told the jury on Wednesday that, while he didn’t see the shooting happen, he did see the moments Diaz walked out of his vehicle.
“He looked at me with his hands up, and he just hit his knees and fell over,” Loudermilk said.
Loudermilk called 911 and tried to render aid. His call was played to the jury.
During opening statements, the defense said this was a case of self-defense, and Duarte and his cousin were only defending themselves from Diaz and his passengers.
“We believe the evidence will show Mario was acting in self-defense,” said Meredith Chacon, defense attorney. “He was a scared kid.”
Vera, the codefendant in this case, is still awaiting trial.
Duarte, if found guilty, is facing up to life in prison.
Testimony is expected to continue Thursday in Judge Jennifer Peña’s 290th district court.