Father and Son in Texas Charged Over Deaths of Pregnant Teen and Boyfriend

Homicide victim Savanah Soto. Texas Department of Public Safety

A father and son in Texas have been charged over the killings of a pregnant teen and her boyfriend who went missing before Christmas, according to authorities.

The Jan. 3 arrests came more than a week after the bodies of Savanah Nicole Soto, 18, and Matthew Guerra, 22, were discovered in an apartment complex parking lot in San Antonio. The couple were reported missing on Dec. 23.

San Antonio police Chief William McManus, who had described the crime scene as “very, very perplexing,” commended detectives for their work in the case.

“Last night, the San Antonio Police Department arrested 2 people, a father and his teenage son, in connection with the murders of Savanah Soto and Matthew Guerra. GREAT investigative work done by SAPD homicide detectives!!!” the police chief wrote on X on Jan. 4.

San Antonio police Sgt. Washington Moscoso told reporters that their deaths appeared to be the result of a bad drug deal.

What Happened?

Ms. Soto’s family said that the pregnant teen was overdue to deliver her baby and was scheduled to have an induced labor on Dec. 23.

The young woman’s mother, Gloria Cordova, said she was unable to reach her daughter that day, so she decided to check on her at her apartment in Leon Valley.

“I went by there and knocked and knocked and knocked, and she was not answering,” Ms. Cordova told KENS-TV, adding that she could not contact her daughter’s boyfriend either.

At that point, she contacted local police and reported her daughter as missing. On Christmas day, police issued a CLEAR alert for the missing woman.

On Dec. 26, Ms. Soto and Mr. Guerra were found dead in a vehicle with gunshot wounds to their heads. The unborn baby was also dead, according to police.

Police now believe the couple were killed shortly before midnight on Dec. 21, meaning they may have been dead for days before police located their bodies inside Mr. Guerra’s vehicle.

Last week, the San Antonio Police Department released video footage of persons of interest. One of the persons was seen driving Mr. Guerra’s vehicle, and the other person was driving a pickup truck. The footage was reportedly captured days before the bodies were found and “very close” to the site.

Police rope off the scene where two dead bodies were discovered in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 26, 2023. Jacob Beltran/The San Antonio Express-News via AP

Police Locate Suspects

On Jan. 3, investigators went to a residence where they found Christopher Preciado, 19, and his father, Ramon Preciado, 53, who opened the door.

“He knew why the police were there,” Sgt. Moscoso said.

The two men were taken in for interrogation and later arrested.

“There was enough information to get a warrant signed by a judge tonight,” Sgt. Moscoso said following the arrests, adding that a lot of misinformation was circulated on the internet and that these two men were the only suspects in the case.

The killings were allegedly over a marijuana deal gone wrong, according to arrest affidavits, KENS-TV reported.

Police have accused Christopher Preciado of fatally shooting the couple. After the killings, the teen suspect called his dad for help. The father allegedly drove to the apartment complex, where he helped his son move the bodies and hide them in the car.

Ms. Soto’s cell phone was an important piece of evidence that helped authorities locate the vehicle where they were found.

Pending Indictment, Other Charges

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said his office is awaiting the filing of the complete case investigation to present to a grand jury for an indictment.

Christopher Preciado could face multiple capital murder charges, according to the DA.

“Under Texas law, a person can be charged with capital murder when there is more than one victim in a murder, and there is evidence to believe the defendant caused the death of the individuals,” Mr. Gonzales said in a statement. “In this case, defendant Christopher Preciado can be charged with capital murder because Savanah Soto and Matthew Guerra were both killed.”

The suspect can also be charged with capital murder for the killing of Ms. Soto’s unborn baby, Fabian.

“Moreover, under Texas law, an unborn child is included in the definition of a person. Therefore, Christopher Preciado can be charged with an additional count of capital murder for the death of baby Fabian,” he continued.

Mr. Gonzales said it is too early to determine whether the DA will seek the death penalty.

“Additionally, should a Bexar County grand jury find probable cause that Mr. Preciado committed these crimes and choose to indict him, our capital crimes committee will consider whether to seek the death penalty,” he said.

“Since the case has not yet been presented to a grand jury, it is too early to comment on what punishment will be sought. Our office is committed to holding individuals involved in these three murders accountable for this heinous crime.”

At the time of publication, Christopher Preciado is also charged with one count of abuse of a corpse and one count of concealing a human corpse, according to Bexar County Jail records. He is being held on $1 million bond, $500,000 for each of the felony charges.

Ramon Preciado has also been charged with two felony counts, including abuse of a corpse and concealing a corpse. His bond is set at $100,000 and $500,000, respectively.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.