19-year-old accused of killing man over ounce of marijuana

Joseph Edward Hernandez faces capital murder charge

SAN ANTONIO – A 19-year-old man is facing a capital murder charge in connection with what the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is calling a drug deal gone bad.

“I believe this was an isolated situation,” said Elizabeth Gonzalez, with the Sheriff’s Office.

Joseph Edward Hernandez showed up to a house in the 24000 block of Invitation Oak Wednesday night with the intention of robbing a man of an ounce of marijuana priced at $190, but things didn’t go as planned, the Sheriff’s Office said.

“There was some sort of altercation there. The victim and him struggled when Hernandez pulled out a gun. Hernandez shot that victim in the forearm,” Gonzalez said.

The man allegedly selling the marijuana was identified as 22-year-old Matthew Ybarra. After shooting Ybarra, Hernandez tried to run out of the house, but before he could, he was confronted by 54-year-old Jose Cintron, who also lived in the house.

“They exchanged gunfire and that victim is deceased now,” Gonzalez said.

Neighbors in the Bulverde Village Neighborhood were stunned to hear the news that Cintron was shot in the stomach during the botched drug deal.

The Sheriff’s Office said after Ybarra picked Hernandez out of a photo lineup and provided deputies with information, they were able to locate and arrest Hernandez without incident.

There is no word on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty.


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