Texas investigators have released chilling footage of ‘persons of interest’ in the shooting deaths of pregnant teenager Savannah Soto, 18, and her boyfriend Matthew Guerra, 22.
The couple were found dead in his car with bullet wounds to their heads on Tuesday, with Soto last seen at her apartment on Saturday when she was supposed to be induced into labor.
Cops have now released eerie footage from an area near to where the slain couple were found, showing one person driving a dark pickup truck and another driving a Silver Kia Optima belonging to Guerra.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus added that investigators do not currently believe that the tragedy was a murder-suicide, as was initially speculated.
Savannah Soto, 18, disappeared last Saturday when she was supposed to be induced into labor and was found dead on Tuesday with Matthew Guerra, 22
Their bodies sat in the car for three or four days until they were discovered, police said. Soto’s unborn baby did not survive
McManus said the scene was complex and ‘very perplexing’, and the case is being investigated as a possible murder.
The police chief released the latest footage at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, and said it shows two people that are currently being sought by law enforcement in connection to the eerie deaths.
One of the persons of interest can be seen getting out of the dark pickup truck – which had a bed cover – and approaching the drivers’ side of Guerra’s Kia Optima.
A second person then quickly follows and leaves the driver’s seat of the Kia, who McManus said was definitively not Guerra.
The chief declined to confirm whether Soto and Guerra were already dead when the video was taken, but added: ‘Clearly it was a heinous act.’
Earlier on Thursday before the footage was released, an autopsy officially ruled Soto’s death to be a homicide. She died from a gunshot wound to the head, while Guerra died from a ‘contact gunshot wound to the head’ – meaning the gun’s muzzle was pressed directly against his head when it was fired.
Investigators released chilling surveillance footage of ‘persons of interest’ being sought in the slaying, with one of the cars in the video belonging to one of the victims but it was not being driven by them, officials said
Guerra’s Kia Optima was seen in the clip, with one of the persons of interest seeing moving from a black pickup truck into the victim’s car
Investigators said they do not believe the couple’s death was a murder suicide, and are requesting the public reach out with any information regarding the people in the surveillance video
Their bodies sat in the car for three or four days until they were discovered, police said. Soto’s unborn baby did not survive.
In an attempt to piece together the shooting, McManus said investigators are poring over surveillance videos from the area, and are also looking into the couple’s internet and phone activity on the night of the possible murders.
Anyone with any information is encouraged to call SAPD Homicide at (210) 207-7674 or (210) 207-7440.
‘You can remain anonymous when providing any information on this case,’ SAPD said.
Guerra’s Kia Optima was found in a car park on Danny Kaye Drive in San Antonio after a witness messaged Soto’s sister-in-law Joanie Wasil on Facebook.
Wasil saw Soto in the front passenger seat and Guerra in the back. She glanced at Soto’s face ‘and didn’t want to see any more’.
Soto took out a restraining order against Guerra a year ago after he beat her on Christmas Day 2022 and was charged with assault.
‘You are prohibited from intentionally, knowingly or recklessly communicating with Savannah Soto, whether by telephone, in writing, or in person in a harmful or injurious manner,’ court records stated.
The documents did not provide details on the 2022 assault.
Mariana Delgado, who claims to be the deceased teenager’s sister-in-law, posted on Facebook that Soto’s body had been found early this evening and that she was in a ‘bad bad condition’
Matthew Guerra, 22, pictured in jail booking photo from 2022
Despite a documented history of violence, Guerra’s mother claimed her son was not abusive
Guerra violated his parole for the domestic violence charge and was back court in June charged with three new felonies: evading arrest, unlawfully having a firearm, and reckless driving.
‘The defendant demonstrates being in the pre contemplation stage and wants to continue to engage in criminal activity,’ the legal paperwork noted.
He also failed to seek lawful employment or attend battery counseling classes.
After the teen girl’s disappearance, a neighbor of Soto and Guerra claimed they witnessed the boyfriend ‘arguing [with] and beating her almost every day’.
‘I witnessed him beating her and kicked her downstairs while she was unconscious,’ the unnamed person said, adding that ‘he kicked her body and face’ and ‘she needed stitches.’
Despite a documented history of violence, Guerra’s mother claimed her son was not abusive.
‘I know my son and he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her,’ Karen Hernandez posted online in the days when the couple was still missing.
‘As a mother, I know my son and his girlfriend were taken against their will because my son does what he does for money.’
The 18-year-old was last seen at her Leon Valley apartment and was described to be in ‘imminent danger’ or involuntarily disappeared
Her boyfriend Matthew Guerra had also gone missing and some have accused him of being involved. Guerra’s mother denied the accusations against her son: ‘I know my son and he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her’
Hernandez did not elaborate on what exactly he did for money.
Soto’s family insisted she wouldn’t have run away as they made a Christmas Day appeal for help to find her.
‘I don’t know where she’s at or where she could be at because this is not like her,’ her mother Gloria Cordova told reporters.
‘She was so excited to have this baby, the house is already baby-ready. She was so excited she was going to be a mommy.’
Wasil added: ‘It’s all she was talking about since she got pregnant… That was her life. She was so ready to be a mom. I think she was meant to be a mom.’
Victor Nathaneal Rivas, 18, was on trial for the murder of Ethan Soto, 15, on Friday when the Soto family launched an attack, footage shows
The shooter reportedly lured his ‘victim’ from his home in May 2022 after Ethan stole THC cartridges from Rivas (pictured: Ethan Soto)
Soto’s family was recently involved in a courtroom brawl with supporters of the teenager accused of murdering her brother last year.
Ethan Soto, 15, was shot dead in what is believed to be revenge for a drug robbery in May 2022, according to San Antonio police.
Victor Nathaneal Rivas was taking the stand in court, when members of the Soto family launched at him, triggering a huge brawl.
Footage showed at least four members jumping a partition and throwing punches at Rivas – who allegedly provoked the group by making a gesture at them.