Suspect arrested in woman’s death said she ‘didn’t mean for any of that to happen,’ records show

Suspect was playing with gun before it went off, police say

An arrest warrant affidavit states that Maria Nealy, 34, fatally shot April Longoria, 33, in the chest early Thursday. (Bexar County Jail)

TERRELL HILLS – Authorities have arrested a San Antonio woman who was allegedly playing with a gun before it fired and fatally wounded another woman inside a Terrell Hills home.

An arrest warrant affidavit states that Maria Nealy, 34, fatally shot April Longoria, 33, in the chest early Thursday.

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Nealy was taken into custody overnight and charged with murder, records with the Bexar County Jail show.

Longoria was pronounced dead at the scene in the 2000 block of Harry Wurzbach Road, not far from Fort Sam Houston, and two witnesses were detained at the home.

Those witnesses told police that they were in the home listening to music as Nealy was “playing with the gun,” according to the affidavit.

The pistol fired a round, which traveled through a wall and struck Longoria.

The witnesses said Longoria fell over, said “that hurt” and had a look of “surprise,” according to the affidavit.

Nealy was at the scene when officers and paramedics arrived but later escaped through a back door, the affidavit states.

She later called and sent messages to one of the witnesses, saying she wanted to know when police and paramedics left the scene.

She kept apologizing to the witness, saying “I’m so sorry this was all an accident” and “... I didn’t mean for any of that to happen,” the affidavit states.

Records show she was also charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Her bond is set at $250,000.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.