An arrest affidavit alleges that Rafael Ricardo Jesus Almendarez, 20, worked with his brother to kill 44-year-old Antonio Sanchez on Aug. 11.
SAN ANTONIO — Police have arrested one of potentially three suspects allegedly involved in the murder of a 44-year-old man on the west side in mid-August.
Rafael Ricardo Jesus Almendarez, 20, has been charged with the capital murder of Antonio Sanchez. He’s also been charged with aggravated kidnapping.
Officers were conducting a traffic stop on Aug. 11 when they heard gunshots nearby, at the intersection of Coronado Avenue and Ceralvo Street. Police headed to the location and found Sanchez dead in the street.
According to an arrest affidavit, witnesses told investigators that they saw two suspects— one wearing red and one wearing black— shoot at Sanchez. They also saw the suspects flee the location in a silver Toyota Camry. The license plate was seen through surveillance footage, and Almendarez was determined to be the licensed owner of the Camry.
Before the alleged shooting, two friends of Sanchez said that the suspects who allegedly shot him had broken into their home and assaulted them at gunpoint, not letting them leave. The two suspects allegedly used one of the friend’s phones to lure Sanchez to the location. A third suspect also arrived but left before the murder took place.
The friends said Almendarez and the other suspect referred to each other as brothers. This was confirmed by police as they found out they had the same mother.
The friends identified the brother of Almendarez as the one who shot Sanchez.
Video surveillance shows Almendarez, dressed in all black, and his brother, dressed in red, exit the house. The brother is seen shooting Sanchez while Almendarez held a rifle keeping lookout, breaking into Sanchez’s vehicle afterwards.
SAPD officers then saw Almendarez on Aug. 20 driving the Camry and attempted to pull him over. That’s when police say he fled on foot, being detained shortly after.
He confirmed to police that he had a little brother. He also said he owned the suspect vehicle and the only one who drives it.
Almendarez was charged with capital murder by terroristic and aggravated kidnapping.
The other suspect has not been arrested as of Tuesday night. It’s unclear if the third suspect will be facing any charges.