SAN ANTONIO – Antonio Nunez, Jr., the man arrested this week in connection with the 2015 death of his girlfriend, had been accused of harming her in the past.
Nunez was taken into custody Tuesday on a murder charge. He’s accused of killing Lisa Carter, 47, then leaving her burning body along S. W.W. White Road in August 2015.
Carter was burned beyond recognition. Bexar County sheriff’s investigators worked for months to identify the body, at one point using photos of her jewelry in the hope that someone might recognize it.
Finally, last month, they were able to learn her identity through DNA evidence.
The investigation eventually led detectives to Nunez, resulting in his arrest.
As he was led off to jail Tuesday evening, Nunez told reporters he was innocent.
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It turns out, though, that it wasn’t the first time he was accused of committing violence against Carter.
In April 2015, a few months before the murder, sheriff’s deputies responded to the couple’s home in the 16100 block of Rosa Street.
KSAT 12 News aired a story regarding Nunez’s arrest at that time. Deputies at the scene said he had stabbed Carter in the backside with a pitchfork.
They said she told them she also struck back, spraying Nunez with pepper spray.
Nunez arrested at that time on a charge of aggravated assault. Records showed the case later was dismissed after prosecutors were unable to locate a witness.
In the latest case against him, an arrest warrant affidavit stated that soon after the pitchfork case was thrown out of court, witnesses heard Nunez talk about killing Carter.
It stated that two people told investigators he later confessed to killing Carter and asked for help in getting rid of her body.
Nunez is due in court regarding the murder charge Feb. 10.