An elderly woman was killed inside her Shavano Park home Wednesday evening while Bexar County deputies were responding to a mental-health call, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. Authorities say the woman's 27-year-old grandson was taken into custody at the scene. The victim, described by officials as being in her 70s or 80s, was pronounced dead at the home, and investigators are treating the case as a homicide.
Sheriff's briefing and scene details
Speaking to reporters at the intersection of NW Military Highway and End Gate Lane, Salazar said deputies were called to the home shortly before 5 p.m. A deputy responding from Lackland Air Force Base arrived around 5:30 p.m., saw what he described as a "shadowy figure" at the door, and spotted a bloody scene inside before the 27-year-old suspect was taken into custody at gunpoint. Deputies believe the woman may have been stabbed or bludgeoned, and the grandson will likely face a murder charge, according to News4SanAntonio.
What SMART is and why it matters
County officials have been expanding a multidisciplinary mental-health response known as SMART that pairs law enforcement with paramedics and mental-health clinicians to handle 911 calls with a behavioral-health component. The program was launched to divert people in crisis away from jail and emergency rooms and to provide on-scene treatment and follow-up services, as local reporting and county briefings describe. San Antonio Report and Bexar County briefing materials explain how SMART teams operate with deputies, clinicians, and paramedics working together to stabilize calls and connect people to ongoing care.
Officials' account of the call
According to Salazar, the woman who called for help specifically requested the county's SMART response before deputies were sent to the home. The sheriff told reporters the suspect had a known history with Shavano Park police and was "prone to 'bouts of violence,'" and that Shavano Park officers also responded to the scene, according to News4SanAntonio. Authorities have not released the suspect's name while the investigation continues.
Legal context
If prosecutors charge the suspect, the case would proceed under Texas law as murder. The Texas Penal Code defines murder broadly, including intentionally or knowingly causing another person's death or causing death during an act clearly dangerous to human life, and it carries penalties that can include decades behind bars or life imprisonment, as outlined in the Texas Penal Code.
Next steps and resources
Salazar said investigators are continuing to work the case and that more details will be released as they become available. Anyone in the community who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact investigators. People in crisis or needing mental-health support can call or text 988 for 24/7 help, according to SAMHSA.
