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From left: Christopher Preciado and Ramon Preciado. Inset: Matthew Guerra and Savanah Nicole Soto (SAPD).
A man from Texas has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering a pregnant woman and her boyfriend, both of whom were tragically caught in a failed drug transaction. The young woman was only days away from giving birth when the crime occurred, and the grim event concluded with the man’s parents being involved in concealing the victims’ bodies.
Christopher Preciado was convicted of capital murder for the deaths of 18-year-old Savanah Soto, 22-year-old Matthew Guerra, and their unborn child, whom they planned to name Fabian, as reported by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
The planned drug deal took place in December 2023 at a San Antonio apartment, where Preciado shockingly turned on Soto and Guerra, fatally shooting them while they sat in their car. Following the murders, Preciado sought his parents’ assistance to hide the bodies at a nearby apartment complex.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez commented on the case, stating, “The outcome of this case reflects a long and difficult journey for everyone involved, and we are deeply grateful to the jury for their role in achieving this conviction.” He further expressed that, although no sentence can reverse the immense loss suffered by the families of Matthew and Savanah, the life sentence serves to honor their memory and hold Preciado accountable for his actions.
“The outcome of this case reflects a long and difficult journey for everyone involved, and we are deeply grateful to the jury for their role in achieving this conviction,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez said in a statement. “While no sentence can undo the tragedy faced by the loved ones of Matthew and Savanah, it honors their memory and ensures the defendant is held accountable for his actions.”
As Law&Crime previously reported, Preciado’s father, 55-year-old Ramon Preciado, was charged with abuse of a corpse in connection with the couple’s murders. He is set to go on trial later this year. Ramon Preciado’s partner Myrta Romanos faced charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering of evidence, and altering/destroying/concealing a human corpse, but those charges have since been dropped.
The San Antonio Police Department says it was Romanos’ gun that Christopher Preciado used to murder Soto and Guerra. According to the probable cause affidavit posted on San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT’s website, surveillance showed Romanos accompanied the Preciados as they drove Soto and Guerra’s car to another location and ditched it. Cops say Soto and Guerra were already dead inside the car.
Soto’s family reported her missing on Dec. 23, 2023 after she missed an appointment where she was scheduled to be induced for her pregnancy and they could not get ahold of her. Guerra’s family also could not reach him.
After a description of the car was sent out to the media, a resident contacted the family on Dec. 26, 2023. to say they saw the vehicle behind a building in the 5900 block of Danny Kaye Drive. Soto and Guerra were dead inside, suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. While Soto was in the front seat, Guerra was in the back seat and it appeared he had been shot first and then dragged into the vehicle, the affidavit said.
Surveillance video from the scene showed a Chevrolet Silverado with its lights turned off pull up on the block shortly before midnight on Dec. 21, 2023, followed by the victim’s vehicle. A man, who police later identified as Ramon Preciado, got out of the Silverado and walked up to the victim’s car and started talking to the driver, believed to be his son. Romanos allegedly threw a towel to Ramon Preciado so he could wipe down the driver’s side door of the victim’s vehicle.
Christopher Preciado then drove the victim’s vehicle behind the building and left with his father and Romanos in the Silverado, the affidavit said.
Detectives later learned Guerra sold drugs and posted pictures on social media of him with drugs and cash which made him a potential robbery target and he had reportedly been shot at before. The affidavit said a review of one of the victim’s cellphones — the affidavit did not specify whether it was Soto’s or Guerra’s — showed one of them searched for Charlie Chan Drive. The victim vehicle also pinged to that location, which is not far from where it was recovered.
Investigators found the Silverado at a home on Charlie Chan Drive and Ramon Preciado reportedly came out to say he knew why they were there and that they should talk to his son. Cops transported the Preciados to the San Antonio Police Department headquarters for interviews. Ramon Preciado allegedly admitted to helping his son get rid of the bodies.
Christopher Preciado allegedly told detectives that Soto and Guerra came to his home to sell him marijuana. He allegedly claimed Guerra pointed a gun at him and he “manipulated the weapon resulting in” Soto being shot. He allegedly said Guerra pointed the gun at him and he again “manipulated” the weapon and shot the victim. Police say the evidence does not support Christopher Preciado’s claims.
Romanos claimed she was sleeping the night of the murders but video showed her entering and later exiting the Silverado in her driveway with Ramon Preciado.
Police said they still believe the victims were killed at a different location before being dumped in the car and left where they were later found.