Nearly two years after a young homeless woman was found dead in a field on San Antonio's Northeast Side, Christopher Michael Hottell has been ordered to serve two 10-year prison terms in connection with her death. The sentences, one for manslaughter and one for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, will be served in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The victim, 29-year-old Alysa Claudia Graves, was discovered in 2023 partially covered by cardboard in a field, with facial injuries investigators said were consistent with trauma.
Sentence handed down this month
According to FOX San Antonio, Hottell was sentenced on March 25 to two 10-year prison terms, one for manslaughter and another for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. The outlet reported that he will serve his time in the state system with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, citing court documents and local reporting on the case.
Investigation and discovery
Bexar County deputies were called to a field on the Northeast Side in July 2023 after a passerby reported seeing a body, according to local coverage. The San Antonio Express-News reported that the Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled Graves' death a result of closed-head trauma and that an indictment alleges she was struck with an object. A July 12, 2023, report from News4SanAntonio noted that the body was found near a Buffalo Wild Wings and was partially clothed and covered by cardboard.
Charges and arrest
Hottell was arrested on Dec. 5, 2024, on multiple warrants tied to the investigation, as reported by KSAT. Court records show he faced counts of manslaughter, aggravated assault causing bodily injury and a continuous family-violence allegation. Prosecutors told reporters that witness statements and earlier incidents of violence in the relationship helped lead to a grand jury indictment.
Legal context
Under Texas law, manslaughter is classified as a second-degree felony that carries a possible punishment of two to 20 years in prison, and aggravated assault is typically a second-degree felony as well, although it can be elevated in certain circumstances, according to state statutes. Those ranges help explain why prosecutors pursued state prison time in this case. The relevant provisions are outlined in Texas Penal Code Sec. 19.04 and Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.02.
Community questions remain
Local reporting and neighbors say the case has stirred fresh concern about the safety of people living outdoors and how violence in or near homeless encampments is investigated. News4SanAntonio coverage captured officials saying investigators were still working to piece together a detailed timeline and talk with people who knew Graves. For advocates, the case has become another reminder of how homelessness and domestic violence intersect in San Antonio, and how vulnerable people often face the greatest risks on the city’s margins.
