Testimony in the Christopher Preciado capital murder trial resumed on Wednesday morning but concluded only a few hours afterward.
The prosecution rested its case just after 12:15 p.m. Minutes later, Preciado’s defense team also rested. No defense witnesses were called on to testify.
Judge Jennifer Pena, who presides over the case in Bexar County’s 290th Criminal District Court, said closings arguments are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
On Tuesday, the state presented private Instagram messages from Preciado in hopes of convincing jurors he was motivated by money before Matthew Guerra, Savanah Soto and their unborn child were killed in December 2023.
San Antonio Police Department Detective Jeremy Goodwin, whose interrogation interview with Christopher Preciado was shown to jurors on Monday, was questioned for at least three additional hours in court on Tuesday.
Bexar County co-prosecutor Melissa Alban asked Goodwin about some of Preciado’s private social media messages in the days before and after the December 2023 murders.
One day before the murders, on Dec. 20, 2023, Preciado messaged someone on Instagram that read, in part: “Give me to Friday at the latest and I will have your money.” In the same message, Preciado also asked the person about the cost of a car battery.
Two days later, Preciado’s message to the same person discussed two rings, one of which may have been a “Versace.”
A Christmas Eve Instagram message from Preciado mentioned getting “the rest” from an apartment complex on “Grissom” Road, which is the address where Guerra and Soto lived.
Investigators said rings belonging to Guerra were pawned days after the murders. Preciado allegedly used the money to buy new tires.
Some of Preciado’s Instagram stories, one of which said “rest in paradise,” showed his closeness to Guerra in the days after his death.
“Dis (sic) s— ain’t no joke. You either end up an OG, dead, or locked up,” another Preciado Instagram story with a picture of Guerra read, in part. “RIP baby boy, he ain’t deserve dat s—.”
Prosecutors believe these messages paint a clear motive for Preciado instead of his claim of self-defense.
However, Goodwin told the defense that Preciado did not have any fingerprint evidence linking him to the murder weapon or any witnesses to him pulling the trigger.
Preciado has been charged with capital murder in the deaths of Guerra, Savanah Soto and their unborn child.
If found guilty, Preciado faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Background
Soto, who was expected to be induced to deliver her son, never showed up for her appointment on Dec. 22, 2023.
Soto and her boyfriend, Guerra, were last heard from on Dec. 21, 2023, according to family and police statements.
Soto’s family soon reported her as a missing person. Authorities issued a statewide CLEAR Alert on Christmas Day.
One day later, on Dec. 26, 2023, police said Soto and Guerra were found dead in Guerra’s vehicle at a Leon Valley apartment complex.
On Jan. 3, 2024, Christopher Preciado, who was 19 at the time, was arrested and charged with capital murder. His father, Ramon Preciado, was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence and abuse of a human corpse, according to arrest records and police statements.
Authorities later arrested Myrta Romanos, Christopher Preciado’s mother, on allegations that she tried to help cover up the crime.
Soto and Guerra’s families said they did not know Christopher and Ramon Preciado. Police said the dispute that led to the killings began with a drug deal.
According to an arrest affidavit, Christopher Preciado told police that Guerra pulled a gun on him and that he was able to “manipulate it.” Soto and Guerra were shot during that sequence.
In February 2025, Ramon Preciado was released from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center after his bond was reduced.
Romanos was expected to go to trial in November 2025. However, after the state sought a reset that the court denied, prosecutors dismissed all charges against Romanos.
The case against Christopher Preciado moved forward and was finally set for trial.
The trial is expected to last more than a week. The witness list includes law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, an expert witness and family members from the Guerra and Soto families.
The witness list also includes Ramon Preciado and Romanos, but it is not yet known whether they will be called on to testify.
The judge is not allowing the trial to be livestreamed, but KSAT 12 News will provide continuous updates on the case from inside the courtroom.
More coverage of the Christopher Preciado capital murder trial on KSAT:
- Prosecutors believe Preciado’s discussion of car parts, rings show murder motive on Day 6 of trial
- Christopher Preciado alleges Matthew Guerra pulled trigger during interrogation video shown to jury
- DNA evidence, Ramon Preciado served new lawsuit on Day 4 of Christopher Preciado capital murder trial
- Courtroom tension continues on third day of Christopher Preciado capital murder trial
- Security tightened, Christopher Preciado’s father allowed in courtroom as trial continues
