Victim in murder-suicide killed on her birthday

Sharon Wilbanks, 58, taught at Harmony Elementary

SAN ANTONIO – A woman killed Monday night in an apparent murder-suicide in Southeast Bexar County died on her 58th birthday. The East Central Independent School District confirmed the woman's name to be Sharon Wilbanks, a teacher at Harmony Elementary School.

According to a news release from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, a 57-year-old man rammed his wife’s SUV with his pickup around 8:30 p.m. Monday near Highway 181 South and South Presa Road. The couple got out of their vehicles and argued before the man shot and killed his wife then shot himself, the report said.

A sheriff’s spokesman said detectives learned the couple had recently separated. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office had not released the identity of the man involved in this incident.

Stevie Gonzales, a spokeswoman for East Central ISD, said Wilbanks had worked for the school district for the past 15 years. She said grief counselors were made available at the school and that letters were being sent home with the students Tuesday.

The incident unfolded about a half-mile from the school where Wilbanks taught, although well after school hours. It happened on the side of a road flanked by two convenience stores. 

The news release stated that detectives planned to review surveillance video from one of the stores in the hope of learning more about what happened. Tuesday morning, sheriff’s spokesman James Keith said it appeared the video did not yield any new or significant clues.


About the Author

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

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