Briann Hernandez was shot and killed in a west-side hotel room in 2023. Albert Casanova was found guilty of murder after four days of deliberations.
SAN ANTONIO — After four days of deliberations, a jury found Albert Casanova guilty in the murder of Briann Hernandez, a San Antonio mother who was shot and killed in a hotel room in 2023.
“To finally see his (Albert Casanova) face and the coward that he is because when the verdict came out, his head just dropped like the sissy that he is. He’s not a man,” said Hernandez’s mother, Gabriela Huizar.
Throughout the trial, jurors were shown police body camera video inside the Oyo Hotel room where the body of 30-year-old Hernandez was found. The crime scene was located off the 2400 block of Southwest Loop 410. Family members say the relationship between Hernandez and Casanova was new.
“It was pretty hard. We saw a lot of videos, a lot pictures, things my sister didn’t get to see, things that’ll stick us for the rest of our lives,” said Briann’s aunt, Tina Martinez. “I’m glad that this part has come to an end.”
For almost three years, Huizar and loved ones have been drowned in the pain of losing Hernandez. Huizar said while it was never revealed during the trial, she knows what led to the tragic ending.
“Briann left behind journals and I read every single page in her journals. It came out every time she hit her, she wrote on in the journal, every time he pulled a gun out on her, she wrote it down in her journal,” Huizar said.
A victim of domestic violence, Hernandez’s family hopes others going through such trauma are emboldened and not feel ashamed to seek help.
“If you’re in a bad relationship, please leave,” said Hernandez’s aunt, Nilda Gutierrez.
“My mains storyline is here, please if you’re in a domestic violence situation, please leave. My daughter was in a domestic violence situation, I didn’t know about it. I could have helped her if she would have just told me,” Huizar said.
Huizar legally adopted Hernandez’s son, Abraham, who is now 6-years-old. She said Abraham is always thinking about his mom.
“He talks to her every night, gives her goodnight kisses every night. But like I said, she’s mommy heaven and I’m just mom,” Huizar said. “I know she’s looking down on us and saying thank you mom for holding on and believing in her and believing in the system and now she has the justice and I hope now she can rest in peace.”
As for Casanova, he’s set to be sentenced in the coming weeks.