BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Testimony in the trial of Christopher Preciado slowed in pace but not in intensity Wednesday, as jurors spent hours reviewing graphic crime scene images tied to the 2023 killings of Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn son.
Testimony is scheduled to resume on Thursday.
Preciado is accused of causing the deaths, which prosecutors said took place inside a vehicle where investigators later found extensive blood evidence.
Much of Wednesday afternoon’s testimony centered on photos taken at the scene, a process that proved especially difficult for members of the victims’ families seated in the courtroom.
Security inside the courtroom has been heightened throughout the trial, with more than 10 deputies present at times — a significant increase from the typical two to three deputies usually assigned.
Court officials cited prior issues involving some family members, along with strict courtroom rules, as reasons for the added security.
While about 10 witnesses testified Tuesday, the court did not begin hearing testimony Wednesday until around 1 p.m.
The first witness of the day, a crime scene investigator, described documenting and processing the scene.
Jurors were shown photographs from inside the vehicle, including images of Soto and Guerra. The images were too graphic to be released publicly.
According to the investigator, no usable fingerprints were recovered from the scene. However, a bullet was found on the floor of the back seat near where Guerra had been.
In total, about a dozen witnesses have been called so far in the case, with most appearing on the first day of testimony.
The judge also granted a request to allow Christopher Preciado’s father, Ramon Preciado, into the courtroom during the trial.
Ramon Preciado is facing charges for allegedly trying to help his son cover up the murders.
Christopher Preciado, if found guilty, faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Background
Soto, who was expected to be induced to deliver her son, never showed up for her appointment on Dec. 22, 2023.
Soto and her boyfriend, Guerra, were last heard from on Dec. 21, 2023, according to family and police statements.
Soto’s family soon reported her as a missing person. Authorities issued a statewide CLEAR Alert on Christmas Day.
One day later, on Dec. 26, 2023, police said Soto and Guerra were found dead in Guerra’s vehicle at a Leon Valley apartment complex.
On Jan. 3, 2024, Christopher Preciado, who was 19 at the time, was arrested and charged with capital murder. His father, Ramon Preciado, was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence and abuse of a human corpse, according to arrest records and police statements.
Authorities later arrested Myrta Romanos, Christopher Preciado’s mother, on allegations that she tried to help cover up the crime.
Soto and Guerra’s families said they did not know Christopher and Ramon Preciado. Police said the dispute that led to the killings began with a drug deal.
According to an arrest affidavit, Christopher Preciado told police that Guerra pulled a gun on him and that he was able to “manipulate it.” Soto and Guerra were shot during that sequence.
In February 2025, Ramon Preciado was released from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center after his bond was reduced.
Romanos was expected to go to trial in November 2025. However, after the state sought a reset that the court denied, prosecutors dismissed all charges against Romanos.
The case against Christopher Preciado moved forward and was finally set for trial.
The trial is expected to last more than a week. The witness list includes law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, an expert witness and family members from the Guerra and Soto families.
The witness list also includes Ramon Preciado and Romanos, but it is not yet known whether they will be called on to testify.
The judge is not allowing the trial to be livestreamed, but KSAT 12 News will provide continuous updates on the case from inside the courtroom.
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