A Bexar County jury on Tuesday sentenced Ruben Ramirez to 55 years in prison after finding him guilty of shooting and killing San Juan Melchor during a confrontation on San Antonio’s East Side in April 2023. Ramirez admitted he pulled the trigger but told jurors he fired in self-defense, a claim the panel ultimately rejected. The punishment follows an arrest more than a year after the killing and a later finding that Ramirez had been in illegal possession of a firearm.
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office said the jury returned the sentence after hearing testimony and reviewing evidence presented at trial, according to KSAT. The outlet reports Ramirez was arrested more than a year after the April 2023 shooting and that prosecutors pointed to his prior time in prison during the proceedings.
Public records and an obituary identify the victim as San Juan “Nano” Melchor Jr., who died in early April 2023, according to Dignity Memorial. The obituary outlines funeral services and remembrances shared by his family.
What the Sentence Means
Under Texas law, murder is a first-degree felony that can carry anywhere from five to 99 years or life in prison, which places a 55-year sentence squarely in the middle of the allowable range, according to the Texas Penal Code. The statute also authorizes fines up to $10,000 in addition to any prison term.
Background and Trial Details
Prosecutors told the court this was Ramirez’s third time in prison and highlighted his prior record during the sentencing phase, according to KSAT. Jurors also heard that Ramirez was found to be in illegal possession of a firearm in May 2025, before he was arrested in the homicide case.
Formal judgment and sentencing documents will be filed with the Bexar County district clerk and added to the public court record. The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office handled the prosecution.
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