‘It’s a messy family dynamic’: Testimony reveals victim’s ongoing relationship with estranged husband before death

SAN ANTONIO – The first day of testimony in the retrial of a man accused of murdering his estranged wife revealed both were still in contact despite being in other relationships.

Guadalupe Contreras has been charged in connection with the murder of Elizabeth Contreras, whose body was found dumped in a field back in 2017 off Old Corpus Christi Road.

>>OPEN COURT: Estranged husband faces retrial in 2017 murder case

Opening statements by the prosecution detailed the couple’s relationship, and how they’d known each other for years. Guadalupe Contreras was the father of Elizabeth’s half-sister’s children.

She was also previously married. After her divorce, she later married Guadalupe Contreras.

“As you can imagine, it’s a messy family dynamic,” prosecutor Kristin Mulliner said during Thursday’s opening statements.

Their marriage, according to testimony from Elizabeth’s first ex-husband Joe Munoz Jr., was short-lived. She eventually moved back in with him after separating from Guadalupe.

“We were getting closer and thinking about getting back together,” Munoz told the court on Thursday.

Opening statements also revealed that cellphone records showed Elizabeth and Guadalupe had planned to meet late on the night of Aug. 2, 2017.

GPS data from his delivery truck helped investigators map out Guadalupe’s movements in the moments after they met up.

“Everything leads to him having murdered her,” Mulliner told the jury.

During his testimony, Munoz revealed Elizabeth had two phones. He suspected she was still talking to Guadalupe on one of the phones.

“I didn’t think it was necessary to have two phones,” Munoz said. “It led to arguments.”

In cross-examination of Munoz, the defense asked him if he was ever questioned about his whereabouts the night Elizabeth was last seen. Munoz said “yes” but claimed police never confiscated his phone.

Later in the day, the jury was shown photos and video of where Elizabeth’s remains were found and the state they were in.

It was an emotional and difficult moment for Elizabeth’s family members as those photos and videos were shown. Therapy dogs were in the courtroom to help both the family and jurors if needed.

This is the second time Guadalupe stands trial in this case. Back in 2023, the case ended in a mistrial due to an evidence issue that was revealed during that trial.

If convicted, Contreras could face up to life in prison.