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WATCH: Father of slain 5-year-old lashes out at boy’s killer during sentencing

Daniel Garcia sentenced to life in prison for death of Domenic Aguilar-Acevedo

SAN ANTONIO – The biological father of a 5-year-old boy was escorted from a Bexar County courtroom Wednesday following an outburst at a sentencing hearing.

The incident happened in the 226th District Court during a hearing for Daniel Garcia, who was found guilty in May of injury to a child for causing the death of 5-year-old Domenic Aguilar-Acevedo.

The boy’s father, David Engwiller, who had been staring at Garcia during the hearing, suddenly got out of his chair and lashed out at Garcia.

Engwiller had to be restrained by court bailiffs, who escorted him out of the courtroom.

Garcia was sentenced by Judge Velia Meza to life in prison.

Daniel Garcia was found guilty of injury to a child. (Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

Domenic is believed to have died in a San Antonio hotel in 2021 and then left in a ravine along a hillside in Colorado by Garcia and the boy’s mother, Nickolle Aguilar.

Domenic Aguilar-Acevedo was killed in July 2021, authorities have said. (Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

Last week, Aguilar was sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in the crime. She got a plea deal for testifying against Garcia during his trial.

Aguilar testified in Garcia’s hearing Wednesday.


About the Authors

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.

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