SAN ANTONIO – A 17-year-old was arrested in connection with the shooting of another teen during an alleged botched drug deal, according to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.
John Doerr has been charged with murder in the death of 17-year-old Jaden Perez, who was shot once in the face and left for dead on the street on Dec. 31, 2023, in the 7100 block of Misty Ridge Drive near Converse.
Salazar said Doerr and a group of teens went to Misty Ridge after a discussion about selling Perez a small amount of drugs. However, the sheriff said there was never an actual intention to sell Perez drugs, and Doerr was planning to rob him.
During the exchange, Doerr fired a bullet that went through the head of a 15-year-old who was in the stolen SUV with Doerr, according to Salazar. The bullet then hit Perez in the face.
Perez was left on the street, where he died.
The group in the stolen SUV sped off and dropped off the 15-year-old at a local hospital emergency room, the sheriff said.
The 15-year-old survived the shooting and could be charged as a suspect, in addition to the other people in the SUV, pending further investigation. Salazar said Doerr may face additional charges in connection with the 15-year-old’s shooting.
Doerr spent the night at someone’s home near Fresno and Blanco after ditching the stolen vehicle, according to the sheriff.
SAPD found and recovered the stolen vehicle.
Bexar County sheriff’s deputies later went to the home where Doerr stayed and performed a consent search in which they recovered the weapon that was most likely used to kill Perez, Salazar said.
The sheriff said there could have been at least five other people in the vehicle, who all could be charged with murder, depending on further investigation.