A San Antonio couple, Christian Moreno and Abilene Schneider, avoided trial by pleading guilty to a second-degree felony of dangerous dog attack causing death after their pit bulls fatally attacked 81-year-old Ramon Najera, a former Air Force veteran. In a plea bargain with the Bexar County District Attorney's Office, a charge of recklessly causing bodily injury to an elderly person will be dismissed, with a sentencing date set for September 20, according to FOX San Antonio.
Details surrounding the case reveal that on February 24, 2023, the couple's pit bulls escaped their yard and attacked Najera and his wife who were visiting a neighbor, the onslaught left Najera dead and his wife severely injured which sparked public outrage and intensified scrutiny of San Antonio's issue with aggressive dogs, the couple's sentencing will take place after hearings and testimony scheduled to begin on September 9, lasting a week, where prosecutors are expected to seek the maximum 20-year sentence although the judge could consider probation up to 10 years, as detailed by FOX San Antonio. The tragic incident happened despite previous complaints regarding the couple's dogs, leading to increased enforcement and resources for San Antonio Animal Care Services.
Schneider was reported to be tearful in court, as the judge handed her a tissue, while Moreno and Schnieder, flanked by their attorneys, formally entered their pleas, the presence of Najera’s widow and other family members, who were in attendance but declined to comment, added a somber note to the proceedings. According to the police report, responding officers found "large puddles of blood in the grass where the attack occurred," painting a harrowing scene of the violence that transpired on the fateful day, as reported by San Antonio Express-News.
The case has placed a spotlight on a series of maulings in San Antonio, that in a single year, have seen several victims sustain life-altering injuries and, in some instances, led to fatalities, including an August incident resulting in a man losing both legs and a November event where three pit bulls viciously attacked a passerby, as mentioned by San Antonio Express-News. Moreno and Schnieder, before sentencing, are scheduled to meet with a pre-sentence investigation officer to compile reports for the judge, potentially including letters of apology to the court, as they face the consequences of their failure to control their animals, a failure that led not just to the loss of an 81-year-old Air Force veteran's life but to a broader questioning of how San Antonio manages its dangerous dog problem.
