Man who murdered pregnant woman and enlisted dad for body disposal, faces prison

A Texas man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a pregnant woman on the verge of childbirth and her partner during a flawed drug deal, and subsequently involving his parents to discard the bodies.

Christopher Preciado was found guilty of capital murder for killing 18-year-old Savanah Soto and 22-year-old Matthew Guerra, as well as their unborn son, Fabian, as noted by the Bexar County District Attorney's Office.

In December 2023, Preciado planned a drug transaction with the victims at a San Antonio apartment. However, he fatally shot them while they were in their vehicle.

Preciado then requested his parents' assistance to dispose of the bodies at a nearby apartment complex.

"The resolution of this case marks the end of a long and challenging journey for everyone involved, and we are deeply thankful to the jury for their part in reaching this verdict," stated Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez. 

"Although no sentence can replace the loss suffered by Matthew and Savanah's family, it respects their memory and ensures the defendant faces justice for his deeds."

As Law&Crime had reported earlier, Preciado's father, Ramon Preciado, aged 55, was charged with mistreating a corpse in relation to the couple's deaths. His trial is expected to start later this year. 

Ramon Preciado's partner, Myrta Romanos, was accused of mistreating a corpse, tampering with evidence, and altering/destroying/hiding a human corpse, but those charges have been dismissed.

The San Antonio Police Department states that the weapon Christopher Preciado used to murder Soto and Guerra belonged to Romanos. 

According to the probable cause affidavit highlighted on San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT's website, surveillance footage captured Romanos accompanying the Preciado family as they moved Soto and Guerra's vehicle to a different site and abandoned it. Law enforcement reports the couple was already deceased inside the vehicle.

Soto's family reported her missing on December 23, 2023, after she missed a scheduled appointment to be induced and they couldn't reach her. Guerra's family also failed to contact him.

Following the broadcast of the car's description, a local resident informed the family on December 26, 2023, that they spotted the vehicle parked behind a structure on the 5900 block of Danny Kaye Drive. 

Soto and Guerra were discovered dead within, both shot in the head. Soto was in the front seat, while Guerra was in the back, seemingly having been shot first and then dragged into the vehicle, according to the affidavit.