A third suspect has been arrested in connection to the murders of pregnant teenager Savanah Soto and her boyfriend.
Myrta Romanos, 47, has been charged with the abuse of a corpse, tampering of evidence, destroying or concealing a human corpse, and abuse of corpse, after the young couple were fatally shot on 21 December in Texas, the San Antonio Police Department announced Wednesday.
Ms Romanos is believed to be the stepmother of suspected gunman Christopher Preciado, 19.
Christopher Preciado and his father, Ramon Preciado, 53, were previously arrested last week, after disturbing footage allegedly captured them with the victims’ vehicle on the night of the killings.
The 19-year-old was charged with capital murder while the 53-year-old was charged with abuse of a corpse. Both have faced additional charges since their arrests.
Heavily pregnant Soto, 18, and her boyfriend Matthew Guerra, 22, were reported missing in late December, after she failed to turn up to an appointment to have her pregnancy induced.
On 26 December, their bodies were found inside their car. They had both been shot in the head.
Ms Soto’s unborn child, who she had already named Fabian, was also deceased.
Myrta Romanos has been named as the third suspect in the killing of Savanah Soto— (San Antonio Police Department)
Now, police say Ms Romanos was also involved.
Ms Romanos told police last Thursday that, on the night of the murders, she was at her home on Charlie Chan Drive, San Antonio, with both Ramon and Christopher, according to an affidavit obtained by KSAT.
She claimed that she “could not recall the events of the night,” adding that she thinks she was sleeping.
Ms Romanos denied knowing anything about the shootings and said she was not in Ramon Preciado’s vehicle when the two men were accused of being on Danny Kaye Drive and of hiding the victims’ vehicle with the two bodies inside.
However, investigators said they have now obtained surveillance footage showing Ms Romanos leaving her house with Ramon in his vehicle on the night of the murders, before returning several minutes later, this time with Christopher in tow in Ramon’s vehicle.
Christopher and Ramon Preciado were arrested and charged in connection with the murders— (San Antonio Police Department)
The three are then seen getting out of the vehicle and going inside the house, according to authorities.
The timing of this footage matches up with the times already known about the night of the murders, the affidavit states.
Based on this, investigators believe that Ms Romanos knowingly helped hide the victims’ bodies.
During a search of Ms Romanos’s home, the affidavit states that she was asked to open up her bedroom, which was locked with a key. Once the door was opened, police found a firearm concealed in a closet, which they believe was intentionally hidden there. Ms Romanos claimed the firearm was hers, given to her by a family member.
When the firearm was tested, it matched the shell casings recovered from the victim’s vehicle, leading to the belief that it was the murder weapon allegedly used by her stepson.
Christopher is accused of shooting and killing the couple in a “narcotics-related deal that went bad,” according to Police Sgt Washington Moscoso.
Following his arrest, the 19-year-old told authorities that “Matthew Guerra and Savanah Soto drove to his residence on Charlie Chan Drive to sell him marijuana”.
Christopher told the police that Guerra then pointed a gun at him, and he accidentally shot Soto while “manipulating” the weapon away.
He claimed the same thing then happened again, where he manipulated the weapon being pointed at him, resulting in Guerra being shot, the affidavit states.
But authorities are not convinced by this version of events, with the affidavit stating that the gunshot wounds sustained by the victims were not consistent with Christopher’s story.
Missing pregnant teen Savanah Soto and her boyfriend Matthew Guerra were found dead on 26 December— (Leon Valley Police Department)
The affidavit said that Christopher “intentionally discharged a firearm” at the victims with “the intention of causing the death” of the couple and their unborn child.
Surveillance footage then captured two men moving the victims’ car.
Ramon has allegedly admitted to police that he drove his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck to meet his son – who was driving the car with the victims inside – before they then abandoned the victims’ car.
Court records show Christopher and Ramon Preciado are in jail awaiting indictment, according to ABC News.
They are slated to appear in court on 5 February and 6 February, respectively.
Police have now said they are confident that no more arrests will be made in connection to the murders.
