Christopher Preciado seeks new trial after Bexar County capital murder conviction in Soto-Guerra killings

Post-verdict filings begin as court moves toward sentencing

Christopher Preciado has filed a motion seeking a new trial just days after a Bexar County jury convicted him of capital murder in the deaths of Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn child.

The filing shifts the case into a post-verdict phase that can include challenges to the trial process, the admission of evidence, jury-related issues, or other claims that the defense argues warrant setting aside the verdict. A motion for new trial is decided by the trial judge and, if denied, can preserve issues for appeal.

What the conviction covers

Preciado, 21, was tried in the 290th Criminal District Court of Bexar County. The prosecution pursued the capital murder charge under a multiple-victims theory tied to the deaths of Soto and Guerra, along with the unborn child. Prosecutors previously confirmed they were not seeking the death penalty, leaving life imprisonment without parole as the primary punishment associated with a capital murder conviction in this posture.

The case stems from a December 2023 homicide investigation that drew widespread attention across San Antonio. Soto, 18, and Guerra, 22, were found shot inside a vehicle, and the investigation later led to arrests and multiple criminal allegations.

Separate charges and other defendants

In addition to the capital murder counts, court filings and pretrial reporting described other charges connected to the case, including allegations of tampering with a human corpse and abuse of a corpse. Separate defendants were charged in the broader investigation, including Preciado’s father. A third suspect was also charged earlier in the case, and one related set of charges previously reported against a family member was dismissed.

Why a new-trial motion matters

Texas procedure allows defendants to ask the trial court to grant a new trial after a conviction. Such motions are typically used to raise issues that may not be fully addressed through a standard appeal record, including claims tied to newly discovered evidence, juror misconduct, or other alleged legal errors that the defense contends affected the fairness of the trial.

A grant of a new trial would vacate the conviction and require the case to be retried before a new jury. A denial generally sends the case toward sentencing and then into the appellate process.

What happens next

The court is expected to set deadlines for responses and any hearing the judge determines is necessary. If the motion is denied, the case will proceed to formal sentencing consistent with the capital murder verdict and the state’s decision not to seek the death penalty. If the motion is granted, prosecutors would face the decision of whether and how to retry the case.

• Motion for new trial: decided by the trial judge, with potential hearing.
• Sentencing: expected to follow if the verdict stands.
• Appeal: likely after sentencing, depending on rulings and preserved issues.

Further court action will determine whether the conviction remains in place or whether the case returns to the trial calendar.