As the investigation into the tragic death of UIW student Joseph Banales continues, Selma Police have brought a second suspect into custody. Matthew Kirk Alexander, age 33, now faces murder charges for his alleged role in the April 2023 shooting. Banales, remembered as a senior reserve officer cadet at the University of the Incarnate Word, lost his life in an incident believed to be connected to street racing on Interstate 35.
New developments emerged when Alexander was arrested after a witness's account led police to a "blue Z-car," linked to varying details of Alexander's vehicle and license plate. According to KSAT, racing another suspect, Jacob Daniel Serna, Alexander allegedly fired at Banales, which he later claimed was in self-defense "due to the way Joseph Banales was driving." Unfortunately for Alexander, investigators have found these assertions inconsistent with evidence of self-defense.
Earlier charges indicated Serna, 29, also played a significant role in this event. Initially charged with murder, his charges have since been modified to serious bodily injury or death due to racing, a fact not overlooked in the ongoing investigation. "Alexander admitted to shooting Banales," as FOX San Antonio reported, as well as conceding that he did indeed know Serna, the first suspect taken into custody last month by police.
