San Marcos sees rise in homicides in 2019

San Marcos saw an increase in homicides in 2019. 

Seven homicides have occurred in the city this year as of Sunday, while six happened in 2018. The lone gun-related homicide last year occurred in August at Park North Condominiums when Jacob Rodriguez Jr., 27, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest in the apartment’s parking lot.  Jacob and Jason Portier were charged with Rodriguez’s death. The five deaths that occurred during the Iconic Village fire on July 20, 2018  were later ruled as homicides.

February 

The city’s first homicide of 2018 occurred on Wednesday, Feb. 13 when a family member found a deceased male — later identified as Aaron “Jack” Jackson Peterman — inside his apartment at Park North Condominiums, 1624 Aquarena Springs Dr. 

Martin Garcia Jr., 23 of Austin, and James Lee Zapata, 19 of Kyle, were charged with “capital murder by other felony” in this case. 

Peterman, of New Braunfels, was a freshman at Texas State University.

The second homicide of the year happened just a week later on Feb. 17 when Brihana Landrum, 24, was shot once in the head by her on-again, off-again boyfriend Adrian Diaz, 28, in the 1200 block of Hilltop Drive. Diaz fled the scene and was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Guadalupe County. 

April 

San Marcos police responded to the third homicide of 2019 on Friday, April 5 when it received multiple calls of shots fired in a parking lot at Uptown Square apartments at approximately at 6:37 p.m. 

Officers were able to administer first aid and apply several tourniquets to the victim — Nicholas Devone White, 21 of Manvel. White was transported to Seton Hays Medical Center in Kyle, where he died as a result of his injuries.

Andrew Stephen Jones, who had a warrant out for his arrest,  surrendered at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center on Tuesday, April 9. 

May 

A murder-suicide marked the fourth homicide in 2019. A friend found Matthew Pfluger and Connor Shannon, both 24, dead at a residence at the 1400 block of Highland Drive around 9:30 a.m. on May 5, officials said. According to police, both were residents of the home and close friends. 

Police said that an initial investigation discovered that Pfluger shot Shannon multiple times. Pfluger was found with a self-inflicted gun wound to the head in the backyard. 

June

The fifth homicide of 2019 happened at the Village on Telluride at approximately 7:10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5. SMPD was called to the 300 block of Telluride for a report of a burglary of a habitation. A resident of the complex reported finding a loose dog and followed the dog to an apartment. Upon arriving at the apartment, the resident observed that the door was kicked in and contacted the San Marcos Police Department. Officers arrived and found Demarcus Trey Allen, 23, of Pasadena, deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.

Jon Hunter Jervis, 23, and Lapear O’Neal Willrich, 25, were determined to be the two offenders involved in the homicide. Both were arrested in June. A third arrest was made in July when investigators found that Chelsy Aylce Mistretta, 21, was in the vehicle with Willrich and  Jervis when they fled the scene the day of the murder. 

August

A body was found in Veterans Park — 320 Mariposa St. — on Aug. 25. Charles William Lauria II, 57, was found near his campsite approximately 30 feet away up an embankment. He was found to have sustained stab wounds to the upper torso. This was the sixth homicide in 2019. 

December 

The seventh homicide of 2019 occurred on Monday, Dec. 9. SMPD was dispatched to a discharged firearm call at 1101 Leah Ave. at approximately 11:34 p.m. on Dec. 9. Officers located a Ford truck that had wrecked into multiple cars at the back of the complex, officials said.  SMPD said one unresponsive male, who was later identified as Kevin Yankovoy, 18, was located inside the vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds.

Six individuals — including four minors — were arrested in connection with the homicide. John Coronado, 19 of San Marcos, Angelo Quihuiz, 18, were the only identified persons involved in the murder.