SAN ANTONIO – Alexis Tovar said her mother’s death still hasn’t sunk in nearly two years later.
“I can’t even process it,” Tovar said. “I’m gonna fight for her for as long as I’m here.”
Tovar’s mother was Melissa Perez.
Perez was shot and killed during a mental health crisis in June 2023. Three ex-officers with the San Antonio Police Department were charged in her death, but the case hasn’t had much movement in court.
Alfred Flores and Eleazar Alejandro were indicted for murder, while Nathaniel Villalobos was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant, court records show.
On Tuesday, Judge Ron Rangel held another hearing for the case, but no trial date was set.
“The time’s coming,” Tovar said. “I have so much faith that it’s going to be a good outcome.”
In court, the attorneys representing the former officers said the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office still hasn’t turned over all the evidence. But the DA’s office said it still doesn’t have what those attorneys are looking for, citing SAPD as not providing the documentation the defense is seeking.
Judge Rangel is expected to decide on what happens next, but not until a later date.
Outside the courtroom, outraged community members called for a different system for mental health crisis response on Tuesday afternoon.
“Police are not equipped to respond to mental health crisis,” Ananda Tomas, the executive director of ACT4SA, said.
“What does the fight for justice look like for your family?” KSAT reporter Avery Everett asked Tovar.
“Change and accountability,” Tovar said. " I’m going to do whatever I can to make San Antonio a better place because that’s what we deserve."
ACT4SA featured Melissa Perez in its new mural called “Say Their Names.” It features 14 people, their families, and friends, all with stories similar to Perez’s. David Blancas, the artist, said the mural is still a work in progress.
The artwork is located at the Greater Faith Institutional Church at 3514 Martin Luther King Drive.
