Man shot to death after punching ex's new boyfriend, court documents say

SAN ANTONIO – A 33-year-old man is charged with murder after he shot a man who punched him in the face while at a Southwest Side Mexican restaurant Sunday night.

Francisco Jabier Velasquez, 33, is facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of 37-year-old Carlos Valdez.

An arrest affidavit states Valdez approached Velasquez, his girlfriend and their friends while they were eating at Taqueria La Estrella Jalisco near Loop 410 and Old Pearsall Road.

Police said Valdez punched Velasquez in the face and that Velasquez stood up and shot Valdez once in the torso. Authorities said the woman Velasquez was with was Valdez's ex-common law wife.

Witnesses told police it wasn't clear what was said among the group.

Police said Velasquez and his girlfriend got up and walked out of the restaurant, but later turned themselves in to police. Velasquez requested an attorney and declined to give a statement to authorities and the woman told police she was with Velasquez at the restaurant when the shooting happened, an arrest affidavit states.

Police said Valdez was taken to University Hospital in serious condition, but later died.

Witnesses recognized Velasquez and the people he was with as regular customers and identified him as the gunman, according to court documents.

Valdez's relative told KSAT he was a "hardworking family man and loved his kids and would do anything for them."

"His smile very contagious to everyone. He loved to joke around could make anyone laugh," the relative said.

Family members said Valdez had been with ex-common law wife for 15 years. They had two kids together.

Velasquez is waiting to be booked into the Bexar County Jail. His bond is set at $100,000.