Twenty-eight people died in family violence incidents across Bexar County in 2025, according to a new annual report, a modest decline from the year before that local advocates say offers little comfort. The toll included 16 deaths tied to intimate partner violence, three child abuse-related killings, and nine deaths from other forms of family violence, with men accounting for 12 of the 28 victims.
The 2025 figures include 16 intimate partner-related deaths. Of those, three were bystanders caught up in the violence rather than the intended targets.
Bexar County's death toll has bounced around in recent years without ever dropping to what advocates would call low: 36 in 2020, 24 in 2021, 27 in 2022, 33 in 2023, and 32 in 2024, before falling to 28 last year. Three child abuse-related homicides killed two boys and one girl in 2025, the report found.
Family Violence Prevention Services Leader
Marta Prada Peláez is president and CEO of Family Violence Prevention Services, which runs San Antonio's Battered Women and Children's Shelter.
Abuse can follow patterns that escalate over time. Her shelter is now serving more men than ever before, along with more large families, babies, and seniors needing emergency housing, she said. Statewide, 60% of intimate partner homicide offenders had a documented history of domestic violence and 75% of victims had sought help before being killed, according to findings from the Texas Council on Family Violence reported by KVUE.
Thousands of Calls, Most Cases Never Reach Trial
The scale beneath these homicide numbers is enormous. The San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriff's Office responded to more than 58,000 family violence calls in 2025, averaging nearly seven calls every hour across the city and county, according to My Neighborhood News. KSAT reported that Bexar County domestic-violence case dismissals climbed to nearly 90% in 2026.
Bexar County recorded 17 domestic violence fatalities in 2024, giving it the highest per-capita domestic violence death rate among all Texas counties that year, according to data compiled by the Texas Council on Family Violence and reported by KENS 5, as previously detailed by Hoodline's fugitive coverage.
Civil Courts and Jails Also Feel the Strain
Survivors seeking protection have generated heavy demand on civil and magistrate courts as well. In 2024, local magistrates issued 2,267 emergency protection orders and 1,568 civil protective order applications were filed across Bexar County, according to data from the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence cited by Texas Public Radio.
Where To Find Help
KSAT provides a list of domestic violence resources and information on identifying abuse types for people seeking support. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
Family Violence Prevention Services, which operates the Battered Women and Children's Shelter, provides crisis assistance and shelter and can be reached at 210-733-8810. The Bexar County Family Justice Center also offers legal and social assistance and can be reached at 210-631-0100.
