MURDER INK AUGUST
MURDERS THIS MONTH: 5
MURDERS THIS YEAR: 67
August 30
3:00 a.m. James Whitehead, who had left the gay nightclub the Saint early Sunday morning, was shot by San Antonio Police officer William Karman, who had responded to a 911 call regarding an assault in the neighborhood just east of San Antonio College. Whitehead was being assaulted by two men when Officer Karman arrived. One jumped into a waiting vehicle, which sped away from the scene. The third suspect, Jesse Ramon, 22, who was beating Whitehead with a pistol, advanced toward the officer with his gun drawn. Karman shot the assailant, but one bullet struck the victim, who died later at the hospital. The police arrested Ramon, and later apprehended the two men in the vehicle, Michael Martinez and Fernando Rodriguez. According to the Express-News, DA Susan Reed will charge the men with murder.
August 19
3:03 a.m. Around 2 a.m., a resident of the Woodbridge Apartments in the 3500 block of Oakgate called police to report verbal arguments and threats coming from the unit. When officers arrived, there was no response from inside the apartment in question. An hour later, another call was made reporting a deceased person at the same residence. Police returned to find 44-year-old Robert Gutierez sitting next to the body of Sandra Barrios, who had been beaten to death. Gutierez was arrested at the scene, and a 4-foot wooden walking stick was collected by police as a possible murder weapon.
Wednesday, August 17
7:43 p.m.
The body of 18-year-old high-school graduate Mehrdad Khalilzadeh, who had been missing since Monday, was found lying in a creekbed in McAllister Park at 13102 Jones Maltsberger. His body was discovered by joggers early Wednesday evening. 17-year-old Jose Antonio Martinez was arrested Wednesday for possession of a controlled substance, and while in custody confessed to robbing and killing Khalilzadeh.
August 8
2:20 a.m. Mario Baca, aged 37, was fatally shot by three suspects who entered the victim's home in an armed robbery attempt. Police responded to the 1500 block of SW 19th Street and were directed to a back bedroom where they found Baca alive but bleeding profusely. He was pronounced dead during medical transport. One other person was in the home at the time of the crime and was held at gunpoint. According to this witness, the suspects fled the scene in a black vehicle after firing shots at Baca. Two other witnesses confirmed this vehicle description and reported seeing the suspects entering and leaving the residence. None of the witnesses were able to provide police with suspect descriptions, and they all denied knowing or having ever seen these assailants before.
August 3
6:23 a.m. While getting ready for work at his friend's home, 28-year-old Derek Anderson was approached by an armed intruder who demanded his money. When Anderson attempted to grab the shotgun being pointed at him, the suspect shot him in his left side then fled the scene. Anderson's friends, one of whom owns this house on the 8800 block of Bravo Valley, called 911. Police found the victim lying face up on the floor in a back bedroom and was pronounced dead at the scene.
