BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A San Antonio woman wants to make sure her mother isn’t just another statistic.
Ana Rennie, 55, was the fourth domestic violence murder-suicide victim in Bexar County in just three weeks.
“She was the glue to the family, the heart of this family,” Cavazos said. ”She was strong, she was funny, she was caring, she loved her grandbabies.”
Cavazos walked into her mom’s Bexar County home Friday, July 3, to find she had been shot and killed by her husband, Robert Rennie, 58, who the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said then turned the gun on himself.
“I ran to her, and when I saw her, I immediately turned around, and I pushed my kids out of the house, and I screamed for help, and at that time, I knew it was him,” Cavazos said through tears. “I ran to go look for him, and that’s when I found him in the bedroom.”
She said her mom has worked for decades as a surgical technician at local hospitals, and spent the last three years married to Robert Rennie.
BCSO confirmed Robert Rennie was arrested last year for assaulting Cavazos’ mother. The case was dismissed when Ana Rennie did not want to testify.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Saturday it is common for abuse survivors to back out of testifying for fear of retribution.
Court records from 2001 also show Robert Rennie’s previous wife had filed for a protective order against him.
“He definitely has a history of domestic violence,” Cavazos said.
She wants the community to know that leaving abusive relationships is difficult and dangerous.
“People think, ‘Why didn’t she leave?’ They might see that as weakness,” Cavazos said. “She did try to leave many times. The thing about abusers is they’re really good at manipulating and intimidating.”
Cavazos said she will never remember her mom for how her life ended.
“She was my best friend. I would call her for everything,” Cavazos said. ”Now I can’t do that. But I know my mom is still with me.”
Now, she wants other survivors to know they have support and that it doesn’t have to end tragically.
Even if a survivor isn’t ready to leave the relationship, she or he can contact one of several agencies with wrap-around services to create a safety plan, get counseling, legal help, or even assistance with children.
Two local organizations that provide all the help are Family Violence Prevention Services, which also operates the shelter. The shelter’s phone number is 210-733-8810.
The other organization is the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which can be reached at 210-631-0100.
KSAT also has a full list of resources on the domestic violence webpage.
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