SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend.
Jurors in the 144th District Court deliberated for about an hour before deciding punishment for Brian Ontiveros.
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The defendant was found guilty Friday of killing Marissa Jernigan in June 2019. Ontiveros shot Jernigan multiple times after breaking into her apartment, the US Marshals Office said.
Ontiveros was on the run for about three years before he was arrested last March in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
The case received national attention when it was featured in the Investigation Discovery show “In Pursuit with John Walsh” in 2021.
In the show, relatives said Ontiveros taunted the woman’s family after her death and posted illicit images and videos of her online.
Jernigan was the mother of Ontiveros’ son.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales issued the following statement:
“For years, the victim’s family has yearned for justice and endured the burden of grief and uncertainty. Today, they find a sense of relief and closure as Brian Ontiveros is now sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The united efforts of local and federal law enforcement, the persistence of the prosecution team, and the determination of the victim’s family support of the community have brought us to this day.”