SAN ANTONIO – Christopher Preciado has filed a motion for a new trial after he was found guilty on three counts of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The motion and an appeal were filed Friday, one day after Preciado was convicted in the 2023 murders of Matthew Guerra, Savanah Soto and their unborn child.
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“Defendant prays that the court set aside the judgment of conviction entered in the cause and order a new trial on the merits,” the motion paperwork obtained by KSAT said.
A hearing for the new trial motion has not yet been scheduled. However, according to the paperwork, it must happen before June 10, 2026.
The appeal is common for a person who has been sentenced to life in prison.
Preciado’s father, Ramon Preciado, is also facing charges related to Guerra, Soto and the unborn baby’s death. His next scheduled court hearing is May 11.
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 missing. 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.
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