SAN ANTONIO – Multiple major cases played out in 2024.
KSAT 12 live-streamed six trials, gavel to gavel, and many of you watched as we live-streamed other high-profile hearings.
Here is a look back at the year’s biggest moments in court.
Jilson Avelar-Rodriguez trial
The year started with a capital murder case going to trial.
Jilson Avelar-Rodriguez was charged with the 2018 double murder of Nicholas Milanovich and Julia Wright.
The couple was asleep when Avelar-Rodriguez went into their apartment and robbed and fatally shot them.
It took a jury only 90 minutes to find Avelar-Rodriguez guilty. He was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Death Penalty sought for Stephen Clare
In Feb., the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office announced they would be seeking the death penalty for Stephen Clare.
Clare is accused of the brutal attack on his ex-wife and two young daughters, which killed one of them.
This is the first death penalty case to be tried since 2021.
The trial is expected to take place in 2025.
Jose Ruiz trial
In March, Jose Ruiz went to trial for one of the worst cases of child abuse seen in Bexar County.
Ruiz and Katrina Mendoza were accused of torturing to death Mendoza’s five-year-old daughter, Mercedes Losoya.
Ruiz was quickly found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Mendoza was later sentenced to 40 years in prison per a plea deal for her testimony.
Miranda Casarez trial
In April, another horrific case of child abuse took place.
Miranda Casarez was accused of starving her four-year-old stepson to death.
Horrific photos and videos of Benjamin Cervera were shown to the court.
Casarez was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison, but this wasn’t the end of this case and the boy’s father had his trial later in the year.
Daniel Garcia trial
By May, the third child death case would take place.
Daniel Garcia was accused of the death of his girlfriend’s five-year-old son, Dominic Aguilar-Acevedo.
The boy was beaten to death inside a San Antonio hotel, and then Garcia and the boy’s mother, Nickolle Aguilar, threw his body in a ravine in Colorado.
Garcia was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Aguilar was given a 15-year plea deal for her testimony.
Andres Tarnava trial
In June, the trial of Andres Tarnava took place.
Tarnava was accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend Marisol Klingelhoffer and then burning her body in a barrel.
Tarnava was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Sutherland Springs lawsuit
In July, a hearing was held after a lawsuit was filed to prevent the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs from being demolished.
In 2017, 26 people were killed inside the church during Sunday service. A vote was held a few years ago on what should be done with the church, and the majority voted to demolish it.
However, plaintiffs in the lawsuit argued that not all members were allowed to vote and that they didn’t want it torn down.
In the end, a Wilson County judge lifted a temporary restraining order halting the demolition, which did take place in August.
Deadly dog attack case
In August, a deadly dog attack case from 2023 was expected to go to trial, but before a jury could be picked, codefendants Abilene Schnieder and Christian Moreno pleaded guilty to the charges.
The couple’s dogs attacked Ramon Najera and his wife as they tried to visit a friend. Ramon Najera didn’t survive his injuries.
After the guilty plea, the punishment phase took place and Judge Velia Meza would then sentence them. Schnieder was sentenced to 15 years in prison and Moreno was sentenced to 18 years.
Brandon Cervera trial
In September, the second codefendant in the starvation case of a four-year-old boy took place.
The child’s father, Brandon Cervera, faced up to life in prison.
Much of the same evidence was presented in this trial that we saw in the trial of the child’s stepmother back in April.
While she was found guilty, Cervera shockingly was found not guilty.
Jesus San Miguel trial
In October, a former John Jay High School student was on trial for fatally stabbing another student during a lunch break off campus.
Jesus San Miguel was challenged to a fight by Joshua Kinnaman at a restaurant across the street from the school. The fight ended with San Miguel pulling out a knife, and Kinnaman was stabbed once.
A jury found San Miguel not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.
The case still ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn’t decide on punishment. In December, a new jury sentenced San Miguel to 10 years probation.
Daryl Barrera certified as an adult
In Nov., a 16-year-old murder suspect was certified to stand trial as an adult.
Daryl Barrera is accused of killing 17-year-old Kaitlin Hernandez, who was found partially naked and strangled under a bridge in early 2024.
The capital murder case will now proceed as a criminal felony case. Barrera is currently awaiting indictment.
Brad Simpson in court
The Suzanne Clark Simpson missing person case was covered extensively in the fall of 2024.
Despite not being found, her husband Brad Simpson was arrested and charged with her murder.
In December, Brad made his first court appearances since his arrest..