Defense attorneys challenged a lack of eyewitnesses, DNA and direct proof as testimony continues in killings of Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn child.
SAN ANTONIO — The capital murder trial of Christopher Preciado entered a new phase Tuesday as the defense began presenting its case after six days of evidence from prosecutors.
Throughout the day, jurors were shown social media messages and surveillance evidence tied to the days before and after the December 2023 killings of Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn child, Fabian, in San Antonio.
Earlier in the trial, prosecutors also played a recorded conversation from Preciado’s arrest, in which he told a homicide detective he acted in self-defense and claimed Guerra came after him with a gun.
On Tuesday, the state continued building its case by walking jurors through messages they say show Preciado’s actions and intent leading up to the killings.
A San Antonio police homicide detective testified about conversations in which Preciado discussed needing car parts and indicated he would soon have money. After the killings, prosecutors pointed to additional messages arranging meetups and discussing jewelry.
Police later recovered jewelry they say belonged to Guerra, including items referenced in those messages and allegedly taken after the killings.
By mid-afternoon, the defense took over questioning, signaling a shift in the courtroom after nearly a week dominated by the prosecution’s narrative.
Defense attorney Monica Guerrero pressed investigators on the absence of eyewitness testimony and lack of forensic evidence tying Preciado directly to the shootings.
Guerrero emphasized that there were no text messages explicitly planning the killings and questioned whether any DNA, fingerprints or video evidence directly linked Preciado to the crime.
The bodies of 18-year-old Soto, who was pregnant, and 22-year-old Guerra were found in their car in December 2023, a case that drew widespread attention in San Antonio.
As testimony continues, Guerrero said she expected closing arguments to happen on Thursday.
About the case
The Soto and Guerra families have been waiting for justice since Dec. 21, 2023. That was the day the victims were last seen alive in the 6000 block of Grissom Road in Leon Valley.
Initially, the incident was handled as a missing person case. Soto, who was one week overdue to give birth, failed to show up at the hospital for a planned delivery for Fabian. Family members said she and her partner vanished, sparking massive search effort that ended four days later. They had both been shot in the head.
At the time, San Antonio police said the car had been in the parking lot for days. They also said they thought the killing was due to an argument over a drug transaction. After an aggressive investigation, Preciado was arrested on Jan. 4, 2024. He has been in jail ever since.
At the outset, Preciado told police he and Guerra argued during their meeting and he accused Guerra of pulling a weapon on him. Police said his claim of self-defense had some inconsistencies and the physical evidence didn’t match the story being told.
In addition to capital murder, Preciado’s other charges are tampering with a corpse and abuse of a corpse without legal authority. There have been some complicating factors, in that there are others who have been charged in connection with aftermath of the deaths.
Christopher’s father, Ramon Preciado, and his mother, Myrta Romanos, were both charged with helping Christopher dispose of the bodies. The charges against the mother were dismissed in November, pending further investigation.
The charges against Ramon will go forward at another time. He is out of jail on bond while he awaits trial. In addition to the criminal case, a $1 million civil lawsuit has also been filed against the three accused of involvement in the deaths.
The complicated and tragic details will take a while to present. It’s said officials expect testimony will take more than one week before they get it into the hands of the jury.
The trial is unfolding in the 290th District Court, overseen by Judge Jennifer Pena.