SAN ANTONIO – The gun that was believed to have been used to shoot and kill Savanah Soto and Matthew Guerra was recovered at the home of the two suspects charged in the case, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Friday.
McManus and Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales held a joint press conference to provide some new developments on the capital murder case.
You can view the news conference in its entirety below:
Gonzales said that he doesn’t believe that Ramon Preciado, 53, “aided, assisted or abetted” in the murders of Soto and Guerra just days before Christmas. The couple was found dead in Guerra’s Kia Optima at an apartment complex in the 5900 block of Danny Kaye on the afternoon of Dec. 26.
The district attorney said the fact that Ramon Preciado didn’t participate in the fatal shootings and at this point only appears to have helped hide the bodies doesn’t allow his office to charge Ramon Preciado with capital murder, like his son, Christopher Preciado, 19, faces.
“Someone can be charged with murder if that person is directly responsible because that person intentionally and knowingly caused the death of the individual, or that person can be charged as a party to a murder,” Gonzales said. “As far as we know, there is no evidence to indicate that the father was involved in the murders.”
In addition to capital murder, Christopher Preciado also faces charges of abuse of corpse and alter/destroy/conceal human corpse. His bonds total $2 million. Ramon Preciado is charged with abuse of a corpse and alter/destroy/conceal human corpse. His bonds total $600,000.
Both men remained at the Bexar County Jail Friday afternoon, booking records show.
Gonzales said his office has 90 days to present the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration.
McManus would not comment on whether the mother of Christopher Preciado has been questioned by detectives. There has been additional police activity at the Preciado home in the past two days but the chief wouldn’t go into details on whether she has been questioned.
When McManus was asked by KSAT reporter Dillon Collier if Ramon Preciado was thrown a towel from another person in his truck prior to wiping down Guerra’s vehicle, which appears to have been captured on surveillance video at the apartment complex, the chief said, “that’s something we’re still looking into. Something that has been brought up in conversation. We’re still looking into that.”
Collier then asked McManus if that meant there could potentially be a third suspect, McManus said, “as the investigation continues, it could be. I’m not saying it is, I’m saying it’s possible.”
Police on Wednesday night said they were not looking for any other suspects at the moment, after the arrest of Christopher and Ramon Preciado.
McManus also said that Soto was a participant in the drug deal involving her, Guerra and Christopher Preciado.
According to police, the murders of Soto, 18, who was pregnant, and Guerra, 22, just days before Christmas stemmed from a drug deal.
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