The Texas drug dealer killed along with his pregnant girlfriend in a suspected deal gone wrong didn’t shy away from his illicit behavior, wielding wads of cash in photos uploaded to social media. Matthew Guerra, 22, and 18-year-old Savanah Soto, who was 9-months pregnant, were found fatally shot on Dec. 26 — four days after she was reported missing for missing her scheduled induction date.
Their alleged killer, Christopher Preciado, 19, was arrested and charged with murder Wednesday after he allegedly admitted to killing the young couple inside Guerra’s car, but claimed he had been acting in self-defense, police records show. Preciada’s father, Ramon Preciado, was arrested alongside his son for allegedly helping to move Guerra and Soto’s bodies after they and their unborn child were killed. Christopher Preciado allegedly told cops Soto and Guerra had driven to his home to sell him marijuana when Guerra pulled out a weapon, an arrest affidavit obtained by Express News states.
The accused killer claimed he wrestled the drug dealer for the gun, shooting him and his pregnant girlfriend in the process. Police, however, stated that the story is inconsistent with the headshot wounds both Guerra and Soto suffered. Ramon Preciado then allegedly helped his son relocate the bodies to the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex in San Antonio.
San Antonio investigators believe drug dealing played a factor in the murders. Guerra’s family told police shortly after the bodies were found that he was involved in selling drugs and often posted pictures on social media of the drugs and cash. “People wanted to rob the boyfriend, and it was stated that he had been shot at before,” the affidavit states.
Ramon Preciado denied the purported drug-deal-gone-wrong theory as he was placed into a police cruiser Wednesday night, shouting at reporters who asked whether he had any remorse. “Always fake news … Aren’t you sorry for lying about what you’re saying? You don’t even know what’s going on. You just make stuff up like always,” Ramon Preciado said.
The Preciados were tracked down after police released surveillance footage earlier this week showing two men at the crime scene. One suspect was behind the wheel of Guerra’s Kia Optima, pulling up in a parking lot to a dark pickup truck driven by the other suspect. The man in the truck then took a white towel and wiped down the Optima’s door before they both drove off.
Police believe Soto and Guerra were already dead and inside the car when the video was taken. Soto’s cellphone was later found alongside her body, which proved crucial to tracing back to the crime scene, leading police directly to the security video. That vehicle led police to a house where they found the father and son.
He said Ramon Preciado answered the door and cooperated with the investigation. “He knew why the police were there,” police Sgt. Washington Moscoso during a press briefing late Wednesday.
Christopher Preciado was indicted for capital murder, while his father is facing charges of abuse of a corpse, police said. More charges are pending. .
From: nypost
URL: https://nypost.com/2024/01/04/news/matthew-guerra-flashed-drug-money-before-he-and-pregnant-savanah-soto-were-killed/