SAN ANTONIO – A murder trial came to an abrupt halt Monday when a 22-year-old man pleaded guilty to fatally shooting of a good Samaritan in a Walmart parking lot.
As jury selection was to begin, Teles Juarez pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault charges in connection with the shooting death of Isidro Zarate, 39, on Nov. 25, 2016.
Zarate was gunned down when he tried to verbally intervene in a domestic dispute between Juarez and a woman in the store parking lot in the 1600 block of Vance Jackson Road.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. Zarate's wife and a bystander were also injured when they were struck by shrapnel.
"You have to give the man credit for trying to intervene," San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said of Zarate the day of the shooting. "Unfortunately, this man (Juarez) was too eager to shoot."
Juarez fled the scene but was captured a short time later at an apartment complex near Cupples and Castroville roads.
Juarez faces a punishment range from five to 99 years to life in prison when he is sentenced March 29 following a pre-sentencing investigation.