LAREDO, Texas – A suspect in the death of San Antonio Independent School District student Simon Cuevas died days after shooting himself in Laredo, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Caesar Tijerina, 20, was pronounced dead at 3:47 p.m. Monday, the office confirmed to KSAT.
Early Friday, Tijerina was airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio after shooting himself in the head at a home in Laredo, police there told KSAT Investigates.
Laredo police were called to the home for an attempted suicide when they found him with a gunshot wound.
Tijerina was wanted for capital murder in the shooting of Cuevas, 14.
On April 16, SAPD and San Antonio ISD officers found Cuevas with a gunshot wound to his abdomen at the corner of South Elmendorf Street and Merida Street, near Brewer Academy, according to an arrest affidavit. Cuevas was later transported to a local hospital, where he died.
Authorities arrested Fernando Flores, 18, earlier this month and charged him with capital murder of a person older than 10 years old but younger than 15 years old in connection with Cuevas’ death.
In Flores’ affidavit, witnesses told police that several individuals attacked Cuevas before one of them pulled out a gun and shot the teen.
Surveillance video showed the group of five suspects following him as he left school. Previous KSAT reporting indicated that he attended an alternative program at Brewer Academy.
After Cuevas was beaten and shot, the group fled the area, according to the affidavit. Police said the suspects all worked together to plan the attack on Cuevas and participated in the assault that eventually led to his shooting death.
Another suspect, whose identity cannot be released due to his age, is still at large. That suspect is also wanted for capital murder, the department said.
Cuevas’ mother, Alejandra, told KSAT last week that she hopes the case is closed soon.
“It’s still so unreal,” Alejandra Cuevas said. “There’s still so many unanswered questions that we have about that day.”
Watch her interview below:
Anyone with any information that can lead to the arrest of the missing suspect is asked to contact SAPD’s Homicide Office at 210-207-7635.
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.
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