East Side Horror, San Antonio Nephew Accused Of Killing Uncle, Hiding Body In Recycling Bin

A San Antonio man is in custody after police say he shot his uncle inside an East Side home, wrapped the body in trash bags and left it in a recycling bin in the backyard. Officers responding to a dead-on-arrival call say they lifted the lid on the bin, found a body inside and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Aquiminee La Roy Crawford, was arrested as detectives opened a homicide investigation.

Police Say Body Was Hidden In Recycling Bin

According to KSAT, officers were called around 9:30 p.m. to a home in the 100 block of Sterling Street for a dead-on-arrival report and noticed a strong odor coming from a recycling bin in the backyard. When they tipped the bin open, they found a body wrapped in black plastic bags. An arrest affidavit identifies the victim as 52-year-old Derrick Cornell Crawford, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators later went inside the house and documented blood spatter along walls and ceilings, along with a sofa cushion soaked in blood, according to the affidavit.

Suspect Told Detectives He Shot His Uncle

An arrest affidavit obtained by KENS5 states that Crawford told detectives he shot his uncle five times in the living room on May 9 after the older man insulted him. He allegedly admitted wrapping the body in trash bags and placing it in the recycling bin behind the home.

Crawford also told officers that the handgun used in the shooting, a clear plastic bag containing spent shell casings and the victim's cellphone were in his bedroom, according to the affidavit. Detectives executed a search warrant and seized those items.

Booking And Charges

Jail records show Crawford was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center and that a judge set his bond at $250,000, KSAT reports. Authorities say he has been charged in connection with the death, but police and prosecutors have not yet outlined the full list of counts that may follow as the investigation continues.

How Prosecutors Treat Corpse-Related Offenses

Abuse of a corpse is a separate offense under Texas law and has historically been treated as a Class A misdemeanor, according to legal analyses and a 1989 opinion from the Texas Attorney General's Office. The opinion and legislative summaries explain that the statute covers disturbing, concealing or treating human remains in a seriously offensive manner.

Detectives on the East Side continue to process the scene and review the arrest affidavit, and upcoming court filings will determine any additional charges and the next court date. We will update this story as public records and official statements become available.