Third person arrested in connection with the killings of pregnant Texas teen and her boyfriend, police say
By Steve Almasy and Sarah Dewberry, CNN
(CNN) — A woman has been arrested in connection with the killings of a pregnant Texas teen and her boyfriend after their bodies were found last month in a car in San Antonio, authorities said – the third arrest in the case.
Myrta Romanos, 47, was arrested on charges of abusing a corpse, altering, destroying or concealing a corpse and tampering with evidence, San Antonio Police Lt. Michelle Ramos said at a Wednesday news conference.
Ramos said police believe she is the stepmother of a 19-year-old suspect arrested earlier this month.
The bodies of 18-year-old Savanah Soto, who was nine months pregnant, and 22-year-old Matthew Guerra were found, each with a gunshot wound, in a car parked near a San Antonio apartment complex on December 26, police had said.
Soto, who was past her delivery date, was reported missing by her family when she missed an essential medical appointment, according to police in Leon Valley, Texas.
On January 4, Christopher Preciado was arrested on suspicion of capital murder in their deaths, as well as altering, destroying or concealing a corpse and abuse of a corpse, Bexar County court records show.
The 19-year-old’s father, Ramon Preciado, 53, was arrested on charges of abuse of a corpse, accused of helping his son “move the bodies,” the San Antonio Police Department said in a news release on Facebook.
The father and son’s arrests came after San Antonio police shared surveillance video that captured a dark-colored pickup truck and the victims’ vehicle driving up to each other in the area where the bodies were found, then driving away.
Police later found the pickup truck, and ultimately the suspects’ home, authorities said at the time.
The police lieutenant on Wednesday said surveillance video also helped lead to Romanos’ arrest as information circulated on social media that a third person was possibly involved.
The department’s forensic unit was able to “develop information” from video that shows Romanos “involved” the night of the killings, according to Ramos. Romanos was seen in the dark-colored truck and returning to her home with the two suspects in the truck that night, Ramos said.
Romanos is currently being held on a $1.1 million bond, magistrate records show.
Christopher Preciado’s attorney Monica Guerrero told CNN on Wednesday she did not have a comment at this time. Ramon Preciado’s attorney John Kuntz told CNN on Wednesday he is no longer representing him. It’s unclear if he has retained different legal representation.
CNN has not been able to determine if Romanos has an attorney.
This is a developing story and has been updated.
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CNN’s Melissa Alonso and Nouran Salahieh contributed to this report.
