SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio has seen several major news stories this year, from new developments in major cases to some firsts in Alamo City.
Here’s a monthly breakdown of some of the biggest stories to trend this year:
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January
Details emerge of how father-son duo allegedly killed, hid bodies of Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra
New details were revealed in January involving a father and son who were arrested in connection with the deaths of Savanah Soto and her boyfriend, Matthew Guerra, in late December.
Christopher Preciado, 19, was charged with capital murder. His father, Ramon Preciado, 53, was charged with abuse of a corpse in the case.
Myrta Romanos, 47, Preciado’s mother, was arrested after her husband and son charges of abuse of a corpse, alter/destroy/conceal of a human corpse and tampering with evidence, all felonies. Police said the gun used in the slayings belonged to her.
SAFD fire chief steps down over ‘inappropriate and offensive comments’
San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood announced his plans to retire in early 2024. City Manager Erik Walsh announced Hood’s sudden change of employment status after a KSAT Investigates report.
Hood was the city’s first African American fire chief. He had led a department with more than 1,900 employees since April 2007 with a $374 million annual budget.
A memo obtained by KSAT Investigates stated that Hood “retired his employment” after an investigation into inappropriate and offensive comments.
Other top headlines from this month:
February
An instructional assistant died after being seriously injured in a Brandeis High School classroom in early February.
Alfred “Mr. Fred” Jimenez, 73, died at a hospital from injuries he sustained on the morning of Feb. 7 in a class of students with severe learning and emotional disabilities.
San Antonio police said a tip that had them searching a woody area on the Northwest Side for missing girl Lina Khil was not credible in mid-February.
Police ended their two-day search alongside the FBI after following up on a potential lead about the property located behind apartment complexes near Interstate 10 and Wurzbach Road.
SAPD said they had “exhausted all resources” and determined the tip was not credible.
Other top headlines from this month:
March
Sheriff: Two bodies believed to be missing mother, 3-year-old son found near Tom Slick Park
The bodies of missing 32-year-old Savannah Kriger and her 3-year-old son, Kaiden Kriger, were found near Tom Slick Park in late March.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Savannah and Kaiden each had a single gunshot wound to the head.
Kaiden’s death was ruled a homicide. Investigators believe that Savannah, 32, shot her toddler before shooting herself after deputies found a gun near their bodies.
What happened in the March 5 Texas Primary election in the San Antonio area
Political prognosticators were the biggest losers of the night, with low Democratic turnout and GOP infighting bringing surprising results up and down the ballot in the March primaries.
Other top headlines from this month:
April
View photos, videos of total solar eclipse from around San Antonio, Hill Country on KSAT Connect
Parts of San Antonio and the Hill Country were excited to experience April’s total solar eclipse. The rare event marked the first time since May of 1397 that the path of a total solar eclipse passed through what is now San Antonio.
Since many parts of the country were not in the path of totality, thousands traveled to the Texas Hill Country to view the eclipse.
Sights and sounds from Fiesta 2024 in San Antonio
Fiesta 2024 was one for the history books!
From the kickoff at the Alamodome to the thrilling Battle of Flowers Band Festival to the most adorable pups at the Pooch Parade, there was something for everyone — and KSAT was right there for all of it.
KSAT broadcasted from Fiesta Fiesta, the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, the Battle of Flowers Parade and Fiesta Flambeau Parade, and many more events during the 11-day party.
SAPD: 2 dead, 4 injured in shooting at Market Square Fiesta event
Two people were killed, and four others were injured during a shooting at Historic Market Square during Fiesta.
Police said officers near the stage heard a gunshot and saw an 18-year-old man running away.
While two officers ran after the 18-year-old, one officer said he saw the man fire and strike a 20-year-old man.
The officers then fired multiple rounds at the 18-year-old man. The 18-year-old was hit and later pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The 20-year-old man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he also was pronounced dead, according to SAPD.
Other top headlines from this month:
May
In early May, San Antonio police announced the arrest of a juvenile in the death of a 17-year-old who was strangled and left in a ditch on the Northeast Side.
The family of Kaitlin Elizabeth Hernandez said they had known the suspect for about two or three years, and he lived in the community.
Hernandez was reported missing by her family in the 7600 block of Dell Oak Drive late on March 12. About an hour later, at 12:41 a.m. on March 13, police found her phone and jacket before finding her naked body under a bridge.
Legendary Tejano music host Johnny Canales reportedly ‘gravely sick’
Johnny Canales, a titan of Tejano music, was reportedly battling health problems in April.
In response to the report, friends and fans shared their well wishes and prayers for Canales on social media.
While the extent of any new health problems was not made public, Canales’ wife said he had been dealing with complications connected to a stroke he suffered in 2008, the Corpus Christi Crónica said in its Facebook post.
Canales' death was reported in June.
Video shows trooper fatally shooting man in Converse
A woman who witnessed a trooper shooting and killing a man in Converse said she doesn’t believe the shooting was justified.
The woman took a video of the moments leading up to the trooper making a life-and-death decision.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the incident began in New Braunfels after a trooper tried to pull 37-year-old Luis Navarro over on a traffic stop.
Navarro drove away, and the agency said he led the trooper on a chase that topped speeds of 110 miles an hour.
DPS Sgt. Kenny Mata said Navarro crashed into a Chevrolet Tahoe on East Loop 1604 and FM 78. He said Navarro refused to obey the trooper’s commands after the crash.
“After [Navarro] crashed, he ran out of the van,” said the woman. “Then the cop Tased him, which didn’t faze that guy. Then the guy turned around and started walking back towards the cop with his hands up and out towards the cop and the cop had his gun out. And next thing you know, he shoots him right in the chest.”
Other top headlines from this month:
June
A former Bexar County Sheriff’s lieutenant who received a $395,000 settlement from the county this spring told KSAT that Sheriff Javier Salazar attempted to smear her name after she posted photos and videos of herself near the U.S. Capitol building during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.
Roxanne Mathai had traveled to Washington, D.C., to see then-President Donald Trump give a speech at a rally. She was then among the thousands of people who walked from the Ellipse to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
Mathai, dressed in red, white and blue superhero attire, posted pictures and videos of herself on Facebook near the Capitol as a protest erupted into a deadly riot.
Grand opening of Japanese store Daiso attracts ‘overwhelming’ crowd
Large crowds of people camped out in front of Daiso in the Alamo Ranch area for its grand opening in June.
Daiso, a 5,661-square-foot store that sells decorations, beauty products, and more, hosted a special offering for the first two days of the grand opening at 5347 W Loop 1604 N., Suite #105.
Many of the people who showed up for the store’s opening weekend started camping out in the early hours of the morning, well before Daiso opened.
Other top headlines from this month:
July
Texas shark attacks: What we know about the South Padre Island bite victims
Multiple beachgoers on South Padre Island were attacked by the same shark on Independence Day, a time when the island is full of locals and out-of-town visitors for the holiday.
Texas Game Wardens confirmed two people were bitten, a third person was grazed, and a fourth man was injured fending off a shark on South Padre Island.
Beryl continues inland after making landfall near Matagorda
Beryl made landfall near Matagorda shortly after 4 a.m. on July 8 as a Category 1 hurricane, with winds of 80 mph.
Houston and Galveston had damaging wind gusts and storm surge. Flooding rains of 4-8″ occurred with pockets of 10+”. Millions of people were left without power.
FBI raids Delia’s Tamales in Northwest Bexar County
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations conducted an investigation at a popular tamales restaurant in late July.
Officers with the FBI and the San Antonio Police Department gathered at the Delia’s located in the 13500 block of Hausman Pass near Loop 1604.
The federal agency confirmed that they were conducting an investigation.
The FBI confirmed to KSAT that agents are also present at Delia’s in Pharr and in McAllen.
Other top headlines from this month:
August
Authorities with the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office responded at least three times to a home where a 12-year-old girl was injured in the months before she died, according to records obtained by KSAT.
Records show that deputies responded to a home in Christine, south of Jourdanton, for a welfare check in March and a child injury case in November 2023.
- The girl, identified as Miranda Sipps, was pronounced dead in August.
Her mother, 36-year-old Denise Balbaneda, and stepfather, 40-year-old Gerald Gonzales, were charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, according to the sheriff’s office.
San Antonio ISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino sparked controversy for spending over $21,000 on 22 trips in less than two years, including visits to districts across the country to research school closures.
Critics questioned the necessity of such expenses, especially given the district’s budget issues and below-average student performance.
Other top headlines from this month:
September
Driver faces child endangerment charges after 6 children ejected in I-35 crash, SAPD says
The driver involved in a crash on Interstate 35, where six children were ejected and hospitalized, faces child endangerment charges, according to San Antonio police.
An SUV was heading northbound on Interstate 35 when a tire blew out, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, police said.
The driver overcorrected a turn after losing control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree, which caused six children to be ejected, according to police.
Nine people were inside the vehicle, seven of whom were children. Police said only one child was wearing a seatbelt.
Man arrested in connection with woman found dead along San Antonio park trail
A suspect was arrested in connection with the death of Stacey Dramiga, whose body was discovered in an East Side park.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies said Marco Flores, 38, was charged with evading arrest and detention after investigators said he knew details about Dramiga’s condition that had not been released to the public.
Other top headlines from this month:
October
TIMELINE: Disappearance of Suzanne Clark Simpson, arrest of husband Brad Simpson
The search for Suzanne Clark Simpson is ongoing. The Olmos Park mother of four and Realtor was last seen on Sunday, Oct. 6, and her husband, Brad Simpson, has since been charged with murder in connection with her presumed death.
Babysitter arrested after dogs attack baby, leaving child with life-threatening injuries
A 36-year-old woman tasked with babysitting a 1-year-old baby has been arrested after multiple dogs attacked the child, who is now hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Heather Rodriguez took the baby into her home in the 9700 block of Spruce Ridge Drive near Converse in northeast Bexar County.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said Rodriguez left the home and sequestered the baby in a room with her 13-year-old daughter to keep the child away from the dogs.
BCSO said the dogs forced their way into the room as they had damaged the door previously.
Other top headlines from this month:
November
RESULTS: All races for presidential election in Texas on November 5, 2024
Voters in Bexar County and beyond headed to the polls on Election Day, resulting in the re-election of President-elect Donald Trump for a second term.
Also on the ballot were Ted Cruz and Colin Allred for US senator, representatives in the U.S. Congress and Texas Legislature, plus other candidates running for office at the state and local levels. Some voters also decided municipal and school propositions.
A new San Antonio Spurs arena could take center court of a proposed downtown sports and entertainment district around Hemisfair.
Crucial details like the exact size, design, price, or who would pay weren’t immediately clear. However, city staff said it would not be funded by “the general taxpayers.”
Suspect in wild chase through Alamo Quarry Market had prior arrest related to driving and alcohol
A woman arrested after allegedly leading San Antonio police and state troopers on a wild chase through the Alamo Quarry Market faces a long list of criminal charges.
Audrey Marie Schneider, 37, is accused of assaulting a peace officer and driving while intoxicated with an open container of alcohol in her vehicle.
Other top headlines from this month:
December
Two days after a San Antonio police officer shot himself while on duty, the department said he died by suicide and was under criminal investigation.
Officer William Kasberg — who was with SAPD for 30 years and was nearing retirement — was accused in an invasive visual recording case out of Rockport, according to San Antonio and Rockport police departments.
Rockport police confirmed that Kasberg died by suicide a day after they contacted him about the case.
San Antonio to phase out horse carriages by 2030 in compromise plan
Horse carriages will trot into San Antonio’s past within five years.
Two years after a pair of council members first pushed to ban carriage rides for hire, the San Antonio City Council voted 10-0 with one abstention to phase them out by January 2030. It was a compromise plan that seemed to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of both sides.
Carriage companies had asked for a five-year timeline as an alternative to the three-year plan the city originally put forward. Preferring no ban at all, though, they indicated they may still try to fight the longer timeline.
Other top headlines from this month:
