Pregnant 18-year-old, boyfriend were killed in drug deal gone wrong, Texas cops say

A Texas father and son have been arrested in the killings of a missing pregnant 18-year-old and her boyfriend, San Antonio police say.

Savanah Soto and her boyfriend, Matthew Guerra, disappeared in late December just before Soto was expected to give birth, McClatchy News reported. When Soto failed to arrive at the hospital where she was scheduled to be induced, her family reported her missing, kicking off a high-profile search for the couple.

A state-wide alert was issued for Soto on Dec. 25 but, as investigators later learned, she and Guerra were already dead, police said during a Jan. 3 news briefing, announcing the arrest of their accused killer and an accomplice.

Christopher Preciado, 19, is accused of killing Soto and Guerra during a drug deal gone wrong, before midnight on Dec. 21, police said. His father, 53-year-old Ramon Preciado, didn’t take part in the killings, but is accused of helping hide the bodies, according to investigators.

Soto and Guerra were found dead inside a car parked on San Antonio’s northwest side, police said, adding that both had gunshot wounds.

Investigators found a critical piece of evidence at the scene, Soto’s cell phone, police said. With help from the U.S. Secret Service, investigators accessed information on the phone, which led police to the location of a vehicle captured in surveillance video.

Police watched the vehicle to determine which home the owners lived in, then took Christopher and Ramon Preciado into custody, police said.

Christopher, who has no prior criminal history, is charged with murder, police said, and Ramon is charged with abuse of a corpse.

More charges may be brought, according to police.

This story was originally published January 4, 2024 at 6:42 AM with the headline "Pregnant 18-year-old, boyfriend were killed in drug deal gone wrong, Texas cops say."