BEXAR COUNTY – Nearly a year after 17-year-old Landyn Reyes was shot and killed at a party, his mother said she is still searching for answers and justice.
Reyes was just weeks away from his 18th birthday when he was fatally shot on August 4, 2024, at a party held inside a vacant, for-sale home.
Reyes was found dead in the backyard of the house with a gunshot wound in West Be, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said.
The gathering was part of a trend among teens, where empty homes are used as party spots, the sheriff’s office said.
In a video, voices sing “Happy Birthday” to Landyn Reyes during his 17th birthday celebration, a bittersweet memory for his mother, Sasha Reyes, as it was his last.
Sasha said that when authorities confirmed to her that Landyn Reyes was the person killed, her “entire world fell apart.”
Cell phone videos from similar parties show teens dancing and posing with firearms. Sasha Reyes said the footage is difficult to watch.
“Why would you put yourself there, baby, if you knew you wouldn’t normally be there?” she said, fighting back tears as she addressed her son.
Sasha said she believes her son only attended the party to accompany his girlfriend and friends and planned to stay for a short time.
When gunfire erupted, she said Landyn’s protective instincts kicked in.
“When those gunshots rang out, he immediately turned and pushed her up the stairs,” she recalled. “His arms had to have been up — his body exposed — for when the bullet went in.”
Investigators said more than 20 rounds were fired that night. It’s unclear who was responsible, and no arrests have been made.
Sasha said her son was funny, caring, and ambitious and dreamed of opening his own garage.
“He wanted to build engines and work on vehicles,” she said. “And it was taken from him.”
At this time, no one has been charged in connection with Landyn Reyes’ murder.
While the investigation remains open, Crime Stoppers has recently increased the reward for information leading to an arrest to $10,000.
Anyone with tips regarding the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP.
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