Dad and son held for murders of pregnant teen and boyfriend after phone evidence
A father and son have been arrested in connection with the murder of pregnant teen Savanah Soto and her boyfriend.
Savanah, 18, and Matthew Guerra, 22, were found dead in a Kia Optima outside a San Antonio apartment complex, Texas on December 26. The pair had been reported missing three days earlier after Savanah failed to turn up to a hospital appointment to have her baby induced.
San Antonio Police Department confirmed on Wednesday night that officers have arrested Christopher Preciado, 19, and his father Ramon Preciado, 53, in connection with the crime. Christopher has been charged with capital murder, while Ramon has been charged with abuse of a corpse.
"Tonight, SAPD arrested 19-year old Christopher Preciado for the murders of Savanah Soto and Matthew Guerra," the SAPD said in a statement. "Christopher is charged with Capital Murder. SAPD also arrested his father, 53-year old Ramon Preciado, who is charged with Abuse of a Corpse for helping Christopher move the bodies after they were murdered. Our deepest condolences go out to the Soto and Guerra families."
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Christopher Preciado, 19, has been charged with capital murder (San Antonio PD)
Ramon Preciado, 53, has been charged with Abuse of a Corpse (San Antonio PD)During a news briefing, Sgt. Washington Moscoso revealed one of the key pieces of evidence detectives uncovered was Savanah's cellphone. From analysing data on the phone, cops were able to trace the location of a pickup truck which police had been searching for.
Video footage previously released by police shows the pickup truck stopping in a car park near where Savanah and Matthew's bodies were found. The Kia Optima, which belonged to Matthew and where the grizzly discovery was later made, can be seen driving in from the opposite direction and parking next to the first vehicle.
In the footage, one 'person of interest' can be seen getting out of the dark pickup truck and approaching the driver's side of the Kia. A second person then leaves the driver's seat of the Kia, who San Antonio Police Chief William P. McManus said was not Matthew. Police previously said they believe one of the persons was wiping down the side of the car.
Police has released CCTV footage of a vehicle they wanted to trace in connection with the murders (fox)Moscoso told reporters at the news briefing that Christopher and Ramon were interviewed by detectives after surveillance was carried out on the aforementioned vehicle. Police have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the interviews.
Moscoso added that they believe it was a narcotic deal that went badly. Police currently believe Savanah and Matthew were shot dead in another location before they were taken to the car park where their bodies were found.
Last week, Savanah's heartbroken family held a vigil for the 18-year-old and her unborn son. It was the same week they were expecting to welcome the baby into the world. Savanah had already picked the name Fabian for the boy.
Pregnant Savanah Soto, 18, and boyfriend Matthew Guerra, 22 were found dead in a car on December 26 (fox)Mourning family members gathered at Kenwood Park, San Antonio wearing pink jackets and released doves in memory of Savanah. The murdered teen's grandma, Rachel Soto, sat on the hilltop in the park where two trees had previously been planted in memory of Savanah's brother Ethan Soto who was shot and killed two years ago.
Speaking to those who gathered to pay their respects, she said the people who did this to her granddaughter “have no heart” and are “cowards". About the fact they are having a vigil, she added: “It’s just not right." “The importance of us having the vigil today is for us to remember her the way she was and the way she used to be,” she told gathered mourners.
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Gloria Cordova, Savanah Soto's heartbroken mother (KSAT)Savanah's mum, Gloria Cordova, has was the main target and that her daughter could have been killed as a witness. She said the deaths "had something to do with him and things that he was doing".
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Speaking to CBS News, Ms Cordova said: "I think it had something to do with him and things that he was doing, not my daughter. My daughter just was there with him and they didn't want... they didn't want someone to say what happened, somebody that's going to say it's so-and-so or this is what he looked like. She just was there at the wrong time."
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