SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio mother is devastated after learning her daughter was killed allegedly at the hands of her son-in-law.
Four children are now without their mother and father.
Betty Guerra took us down memory lane speaking about her daughter, Mary Ann Pompa, 39.
“She was a very active child,” Guerra said. “She was in cheerleading and karate. I think she even reached her black belt. She played soccer. She went to Jefferson High School, where she was in JROTC.”
Guerra said her daughter was the breadwinner of the household and worked in the medical industry as a coder. She said Pompa loved her family dearly.
“She was always there for her children, always taking them to school and to practice,” Guerra said. “She was my granddaughter’s best friend. They were learning how to make flour tortillas together.”
Guerra said her daughter was also her rock.
“She was there when I needed her,” Guerra said as she wept. “I had her back, and she had mine whenever I needed help.”
Guerra said she had no idea her daughter was going through possible domestic abuse.
“My daughter never wanted to press charges,” she said as she wept. “I am just learning about all of this from her father-in-law, who is taking this really hard.”
On Monday afternoon, Pompa was found unresponsive at a home on Texas Avenue.
“I got a call saying she had passed away,” Guerra said. “Of course, you don’t want to think the worst. You think, ‘Ok, maybe it was COVID.’ But as it turns out, after the examinations and getting the details, she had a fractured skull, and that is why they couldn’t revive her.”
While at the scene, Guerra soon learned her daughter’s death became an active murder investigation.
San Antonio police said during an interview with Pompa’s husband, Pedro Pompa, that his story did not add up to evidence at the scene. He was quickly arrested and charged with murder.
Guerra captured the arrest on her cellphone.
“It just breaks my heart why he took her life,” she said as she wept. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand. After they told us this was a crime scene and this was murder, I just could not believe it. Why did he take her life? Why?”
Guerra said her children, ranging between ages 5 and 21, are beyond devastated.
“My 8-year-old granddaughter told me, ‘Grandma, I tried waking mommy up, but she wouldn’t wake up,’” Guerra said. “She doesn’t know what is going on. The 5-year-old doesn’t know what is going on. The older one, who is 15, was getting picked up and wondered why her mother wasn’t picking her up. They told her, and she lost it. She said, ‘I lost my best friend! Who took her away from me?’ When they told her it was her dad, oh my gosh, it was like how could her own dad do this to her mom. My grandchildren are not only without a mother, but now they don’t have a father.”
Despite Mary Ann Pompa never pressing charges on Pedro Pompa, her mother learned that the couple would “scuffle.” She is praying her daughter’s story encourages victims of domestic abuse to get out while they can.
“Love is blind,” Guerra said. “If there is a problem, get help. Call your parents. Don’t stay in that situation and suffer. Don’t hide. We are here to help you.”
Mary Ann Pompa’s children are now in the custody of her sister, who is raising money to afford to take care of them.
While police are still investigating what led up to her daughter’s death, she had this to say to her son-in-law.
“He does not deserve to live, but I am not God,” Guerra said as she wept. “And I will not forgive him for what he’s done because he cannot bring her back. Was this all worth it, losing your family?”