SAN ANTONIO – The city of Windcrest’s ties to an animal boarding operator under criminal investigation and the fallout from the fiery death of U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ staffer were among the most notable stories from KSAT Investigates in 2025.
Windcrest councilman and boarding facility owner caught in handwriting controversy
A KSAT Investigates series in April revealed that the handwriting of a Windcrest city councilman appeared on sworn ethics complaints filed by an animal boarding operator, even though the elected official had said publicly that he did not know the man.
In September 2024, Windcrest Councilman Greg Turner stood before the city’s ethics commission and said he did not have a personal or professional relationship with Corey Jones, the owner of a nearby boarding facility that had housed the city’s stray cats and dogs for nearly a year.
Turner, while at times being grilled by commission members, eventually conceded that he had taken his son’s French bulldogs a handful of times to be groomed at Jones’ Texas Canine Boarding & Pet Services, in the 6000 block of Montgomery Drive.
“I have no personal relationships. No family members have any relationships with them. It’s just a turnkey operation from my perspective,” Turner told the commission.
Just days after Turner’s appearance before the commission, Jones received final payments from the city of over $62,000 for providing boarding services, Windcrest invoice records show.
In all, Jones was paid $195,886.82 from late August 2023 to mid-July 2024 to care for the animals, records show.
The business relationship, which Jones described as a handshake agreement between him and the city’s then-police chief, played out without a formal contract in place, Windcrest city records confirm.
During an appearance before the ethics commission for a separate hearing the following month, an animated Jones also downplayed having any sort of relationship with Turner.
“This whole Greg Turner thing — I met Greg Turner two times in my life,” Jones told the commission.
But records obtained by KSAT Investigates challenged the accuracy of both men’s statements.
Jones had previously filed sworn ethics complaints against two Windcrest residents he accused of damaging his business and blocking his operation from landing a formal contract to care for the city’s strays.
“The next day after I met them two, I got a complaint about dogs being doubled up in a cage and they’re walking around urine and feces,” an exasperated Jones told the commission, referring to residents Pamela Dodson and Rainbeau Presti.
He said the women, both of whom are animal advocates, had gone into his facility and used what they saw to smear his business.
While reviewing the ethics complaints, Presti told KSAT something stood out to her: Jones’ handwriting on the first page had changed in the supporting evidence section at the end.
Presti said the handwriting at the end of the complaint looked strikingly similar to Turner’s, whose penmanship Presti recognized from her previous council campaign against him in 2024.
Presti then took the unusual step of paying a handwriting analyst to compare the ethics complaints with forms previously filled out by Turner.
The 30-page analysis, which utilized writing from Turner’s ballot application and campaign expenditure forms, determined that Turner’s handwriting appeared on the sworn ethics complaints filed by Jones.
“A city councilperson and the owner of another facility appear to be working in concert to file this complaint. That is odd,” Presti said.
Asked by KSAT why Turner’s handwriting appeared on his sworn complaints, Jones repeatedly said it was an issue between the city of Windcrest and its residents.
KSAT showed up at a Windcrest City Council meeting this spring in an effort to speak with Turner, but he was notably absent.
Presti told KSAT that Turner approached her about the handwriting controversy at an early voting site in late October 2024.
Turner contended that Jones had somehow gotten ahold of attachments bearing Turner’s handwriting that the councilman had put together and given to other city leaders, according to audio of the encounter recorded by Presti.
“Should he (Jones) have asked me? Yeah. I would have felt better with that,” Turner said on the recording.
Windcrest city officials defended the decision to continue paying Jones to board the city’s stray cats and dogs even after he was arrested twice in seven months in separate felony assault cases.
Jones was indicted July 17 on felony charges of injury to a child causing bodily injury and family assault-impeding breath, court records.
A day after Thanksgiving 2023, about three months after Jones began caring for Windcrest’s stray animals, Windcrest police were called to a home in the 5900 block of Winterhaven Drive for a report of a 14-year-old boy being assaulted by his mother’s boyfriend, Jones, an arrest warrant states.
The teen told police he heard Jones and his mother arguing and that Jones attacked him when the teen asked why his mother was crying.
Jones “became aggressive, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him to the floor before getting on top of him where he then struck his left jaw with a closed fist and choked him,” an arrest warrant stated.
The teen’s father told police he was on the phone with his son during the incident and “heard the scuffle and a loud thump before hearing the Victim choking,” the warrant states.
The boy’s mother told police Jones and her son were “tussling on her bedroom floor,” and she advised Jones to leave the home before officers arrived, according to the warrant.
The boy, who had bruises and scratches on his chest, redness on his jaw/cheek and back pain, was treated at the scene and then taken to a hospital for further treatment, the warrant states.
A warrant for felony injury to a child was issued for Jones hours after the incident.
Jones was taken into custody a few days later by Bulverde police and booked into the Comal County Jail, records show.
“That’s accused; that’s not true,” said Jones, when asked by KSAT last month about the arrest.
Jones denied fleeing from the home before officers arrived. He told KSAT, “That’s none of your business,” when asked why he was facing a criminal charge if the allegations were not true.
In June 2024, in a separate incident, Schertz police were called to Jones’ residence for a violent disturbance call.
Officers found Jones’ wife on the front porch, and she said she did not want to cause a scene in front of children who were inside the home, an incident report states.
She told police an intoxicated Jones accused her of talking to another man on Facebook.
After she got out of bed, she said Jones grabbed her by her hair and neck and slammed her onto the ground, the report states.
As the woman struggled, Jones then placed his forearm across her neck, making it difficult to breathe, “which terrified her,” the report states.
“She said she begged Corey to stop and he wouldn’t,” according to the report.
Jones bit his wife on the top of her head before she grabbed a can of bathroom cleaner and sprayed Jones in the face, causing him to get off of her, the report states.
After the woman called 911 from a different room, she said Jones begged her not to report the incident to police, according to the report.
Jones left the residence but was later tracked down by police at a nearby friend’s house, the report states.
Jones was arrested on a felony charge of family assault-impeding breath, the report states.
“What does that have to do with Windcrest? That’s a personal thing that’s taken care of on my own. That has nothing to do with you,” Jones told KSAT when asked about the June 2024 assault arrest.
Jones is currently awaiting trial in both cases, according to court records.
San Antonio Animal Care Services earlier this year suspended the commercial boarding permit at Jones’ facility and reported him to state investigators but declined to pursue animal cruelty charges against him, officials previously confirmed to KSAT Investigates.
ACS investigators had opened, closed and then reopened an investigation of Jones for possible animal cruelty after receiving information that he had artificially inseminated French bulldogs without a veterinary license.
“San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) is unable to pursue cruelty charges against the owner/operator of Texas Canine Boarding and Pet Services regarding alleged for-profit artificial insemination services. This decision was not made lightly; rather it follows discussions with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. Investigators also had extensive consultation with several state agencies, including the Texas Veterinary Board of Medical Examiners, the Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Department of Licensing (and Regulation),” an ACS spokeswoman previously told KSAT.
A Google ad for Jones’ business states it is permanently closed.
Sheriff Larry Leitha distances office from convicted felon who ran Kerr County Sheriff’s Foundation
In September, KSAT Investigates revealed that the original president of the Kerr County Sheriff’s Foundation created the nonprofit weeks after pleading guilty in two felony cases there.
James Hunter Schmidt played an integral role in starting the fundraising arm of the sheriff’s office, despite multiple run-ins with law enforcement in Kerr County that preceded the formation of the group, according to records.
Schmidt repeatedly declined comment to KSAT Investigates prior to a sentencing hearing this fall, when asked about his ties to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha and the nonprofit.
“I don’t have one,” said Schmidt, when KSAT asked him about his relationship with Leitha.
Texas Secretary of State records and foundation tax paperwork shows the Kerr County Sheriff’s Foundation was formed in early July 2021.
The paperwork lists Schmidt as a director, its registered agent and its first president.
Schmidt, less than six weeks earlier, pleaded guilty in Kerr County court to driving while intoxicated-3rd offense or more and attempted injury to the elderly, records show. Both charges are considered felonies.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office, the same agency Schmidt would later raise funds for, had gathered evidence that Schmidt grabbed and squeezed the testicles of an elderly man during an incident in late 2018, charging paperwork shows.
After Schmidt was indicted for injury to the elderly in connection with the case the following year, the charge was reduced to attempted injury to the elderly as part of a multi-case plea agreement in May 2021, records show.
Prosecutors tossed out a separate charge against Schmidt of driving with an invalid license, and he was sentenced to 10 days in jail in the attempted injury to the elderly case.
In the DWI case, Schmidt was sentenced to five years in prison.
The judge overseeing the case, however, suspended the prison sentence. The judge ordered Schmidt to serve 10 days in jail, and Schmidt was also placed on probation for 10 years, court records show.
Schmidt was required to take an anger management course and complete a substance abuse treatment program as part of the plea agreement, records show.
Pictures posted to the foundation’s Facebook page show Schmidt and Leitha seated side by side on stage in November 2021 during the foundation’s kickoff gala, months after Schmidt was placed on felony probation.
Schmidt was also pictured alongside other then-board members of the nonprofit at foundation events in fall 2021, the Facebook page shows.
During an appearance on The Kerrville Lead’s video podcast in November 2021, Schmidt said the nonprofit hoped to raise funds for a sheriff’s office tactical vehicle and a special response team.
“Larry (Leitha) will be giving a speech on what the need is in the county from us,” said Schmidt, while discussing the foundation’s kickoff gala.
When the host of the podcast said the foundation was backing the blue by raising money, Schmidt responded: “Tattoo it on us.”
Officials with the Kerr County Sheriff’s Foundation did not respond to multiple messages from KSAT asking if or when Schmidt stopped working on behalf of the nonprofit he helped create.
Schmidt’s name does not appear in the board member section in the most recent tax paperwork turned in by the group.
Schmidt was arrested in January 2023 for misdemeanor family violence after Kerrville police said he hit a woman he was dating in the face, records show.
He was later sentenced to 60 days in jail, court records show.
What should have been a five-year prison sentence for Schmidt for the felony probation violation, according to the 2021 judgment of conviction, was eventually reduced to just two years in prison.
Schmidt was housed at the Kerr County Jail before he was transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where he stayed in prison until late 2023, a source familiar with his sentencing told KSAT.
WARNING: The following section of the article contains descriptions and images of family violence.
In August 2024, Schmidt was accused of assaulting a different girlfriend.
The woman told Kerrville police Schmidt repeatedly punched her, spit on her and threw her into a door jam during a dispute in a home.
The woman suffered a deep gash on her head and bruising on multiple parts of her body, according to pictures of her injuries.
Schmidt was arrested days later. According to court records, he was booked on an enhanced charge of felony family violence with a previous conviction.
Cameras were not allowed in court this fall as Schmidt was sentenced in the 2024 family violence case.
Several people, including Schmidt himself, testified on his behalf while asking visiting Judge Steve Hilbig to sentence Schmidt to probation.
Rebecca Schmidt, Schmidt’s ex-wife, testified that her ex-husband was a decorated Marine Corps veteran who was negatively impacted by a deployment to Afghanistan.
Rebecca Schmidt said her ex-husband’s drinking caused the decline of their marriage.
After she described their relationship as “great,” the prosecutor assigned to the case said, “I’m sure everything wasn’t ‘great’ when your kids were with him and he attacked the victim.”
Rebecca Schmidt concluded her testimony by saying that jail does not fix anybody.
The manager of the sober living house where Schmidt began residing this spring called Schmidt a “leader” and a guy who works the program.
He told the court Schmidt had not tested positive for alcohol since entering the home.
Schmidt’s Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor testified that Schmidt had shown a desire to change and had not relapsed in the past 11 months.
Schmidt himself then testified that he was deployed to Kajaki, Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October 2011.
His best friend was killed in action during the deployment, Schmidt testified.
“A lot of shame and guilt around what we did over there,” Schmidt said while on the witness stand. “It’s been a rough decade.”
Schmidt then addressed the victim in his most recent family violence case, as she watched from the gallery.
“What happened that night, I mean, it’s awful,” Schmidt said. “I hurt you that night, and that’s not ever what I wanted to do.”
Hilbig was not swayed by the testimony.
The judge summarized Schmidt’s criminal history, which included a 2008 felony hit-and-run case and DWI charge in Florida and a 2015 DWI charge in Kerr County.
The Florida hit-and-run charge was dismissed. Schmidt was later convicted of the lesser offense of misdemeanor DWI, according to the judge’s remarks.
After Hilbig asked out loud why Schmidt had been given so much latitude by the court in his previous Kerr County cases, he sentenced Schmidt to eight years in prison — the maximum allowed under the plea agreement with prosecutors.
Schmidt’s most recent victim then made a statement before the court in which she said Schmidt was not a Marine, and he wound up in this situation because he was surrounded by enablers.
“The amount of pain and suffering you’ve caused. Your gaslighting games,” the woman said in court, while addressing Schmidt. “Who am I as a person if I was with somebody who is so horrible?”
Schmidt is currently being housed at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Cotulla Unit.
His projected release date is in late March 2033, TDCJ records show.
Leitha did not respond to multiple emails from KSAT Investigates seeking an interview for this story.
Leitha later sent KSAT the following two-line written response via email.
“Mr. Schmidt formerly served on the board of the Kerr County Sheriff’s Foundation, a citizen-founded and citizen-led IRS 501c organization,” Leitha wrote in the email to KSAT. “He is not a current or former employee of the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office.”
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
U.S. Congressman dodges questions about alleged affair with staffer who died by self-immolation
Since September, KSAT Investigates has been following the fallout from the suicide of a congressional staffer for U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales.
According to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office, Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, died by suicide on Sept. 14 from self-immolation. Merriam-Webster defines self-immolation as a deliberate and willing sacrifice of oneself, often by fire.
“Her last words were, ‘I don’t want to die,’” a family member told KSAT in September.
In September, Uvalde police officials, who investigated Santos-Aviles’ death with the Texas Rangers, said they are waiting for final reports from the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory and the medical examiner’s office, which could take weeks. KSAT reached out to Uvalde police via email for an update on their investigation, but we have yet to hear back.
On Dec. 19, the attorney general’s office denied a request from KSAT and other media outlets for records related to the investigation into Santos-Aviles’ death.
Gonzales, whose district stretches from the West Side of San Antonio to El Paso, did not comment on her death until KSAT asked days later. In a statement provided to KSAT Investigates in September, Gonzales said he was “heart-stricken.”
The congressman has not made himself available to KSAT journalists since then. KSAT and other media outlets were barred from an event Gonzales was set to appear at just days after Santos-Aviles’ death.
The Daily Mail and multiple national outlets have reported that Gonzales and Santos-Aviles were having an affair, which they say began after she joined the office in 2021.
Gonzales has repeatedly refused interviews and questions from KSAT since her death, most recently refusing to answer questions in November.
At that point, KSAT Investigates has reached out to Gonzales and his spokesperson, Alyssa Gulick, more than 15 times over nearly two months. KSAT did not receive a response.
Days later, at the Texas Tribune Festival, the congressman said he did not know “exactly what happened” in Santos-Aviles’ death.
“... The rumors are completely untruthful,” Gonzales said, but he did not specify what rumors he alluded to. KSAT’s request for clarification went unanswered.
Gonzales plans to run for another term in congress.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.
Challenges in education system
From teachers sharing their stories of being injured by students, to allegations of inappropriate behavior, KSAT Investigates has reported on several education-related issues throughout the year.
Teacher injuries
Students are punching, stabbing, and even breaking their teacher’s bones, according to reports reviewed by KSAT Investigates.
The death of Northside ISD instructional aide Alfred Jimenez in 2024 led KSAT Investigates to spend more than a year uncovering a pattern of violence at districts across Bexar County.
Some educators said the injuries cost them their jobs; others have fought to get them back.
KSAT reporter Daniela Ibarra was named one of the Investigative Reporters & Editors 2025 Chauncey Bailey Investigative Reporting Fellows to focus on telling stories about teacher injuries by students. Her reporting will continue into 2026.
If you’ve experienced violence in the classroom or if you’re the parent of a student who has injured a teacher and want to share your story, we want to hear from you.
You can share your story and any photos or videos of the injuries or aftermath by filling out this form or by emailing Daniela at dibarra@ksat.com.
Allegations of inappropriate behavior in San Antonio schools
A prestigious private school is at the center of a sexual misconduct investigation and faces lawsuits after allegations of indecent assault, bullying, and harassment.
In May, the father of a now-former Central Catholic soccer player came forward with allegations a teammate put his genitals on his son’s face.
KSAT Investigates is not identifying the man to protect his teenage son’s identity.
Both Round Rock and San Antonio police confirmed to KSAT they were investigating the allegations.
“I want Central Catholic to know that they will no longer be able to hide behind a cross and a Hail Mary prayer,” family attorney Jesse Guerra told KSAT.
Central Catholic expelled two students and disciplined three students after it launched an investigation into the student’s claims. The school also hired a law firm to investigate the allegations.
The family sued Central Catholic, several staff members, and the students accused of being involved in July. According to the lawsuit, Central Catholic and its staff knew, or should have known, some of the school’s traditions evolved into a “culture of ‘hazing on steroids,’” described as violent and intimidating. The lawsuit alleges hazing included sexual abuse and extreme mental abuse.
In response to the lawsuit, the Central Catholic High School Board of Directors and President told KSAT it took immediate action and launched an internal investigation. The school “strenuously denies” the claims of negligence and other allegations against Central Catholic, its administration and staff.
Guerra is also representing a different family, who filed a lawsuit against the school alleging their son was groped and bullied at the school, according to court documents obtained by KSAT Investigates.
The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 31, alleges Central Catholic and staff failed to act on reports of bullying and assault.
In a statement shared with KSAT in November, the Central Catholic High School Board of Directors and president denied the allegations.
A former McCollum High School basketball coach will not be charged after a student said she had a sexual relationship with him, San Antonio police confirmed in December.
Back in March, KSAT Investigates confirmed that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) began investigating Marcus Alvarado, 41.
A former student of Alvarado’s told KSAT Investigates she had a years-long sexual relationship with him.
The woman asked for her identity to be concealed because she was worried about her family’s safety.
“Was it wrong? Yes,” she said. “It was completely wrong.”
According to his publicly available online teaching certificate, Alvarado remains “under review” by the TEA’s educator investigations division as of December.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.