BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Defense attorneys for three former San Antonio police officers accused in the 2023 shooting death of Melissa Perez are questioning missing evidence and calling the investigation “botched” as the case nears trial.
Alfred Flores and Eleazar Alejandro are charged with murder, while Nathaniel Villalobos faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, records show.
Perez, 46, was shot and killed inside her Southwest Side apartment on June 23, 2023, during what SAPD Chief William McManus described at the time as a mental health crisis.
During a Wednesday hearing, defense attorneys said that prosecutors are missing key evidence, including body camera footage they said could show whether responding officers failed to detain Perez as required.
“This is critical because the video goes to whether first responders failed to emergency detain her,” defense attorney Ben Sifuentes said. “If they had, none of this would have happened.”
The attorneys also requested a list of people whom McManus spoke to on the night of the shooting.
Prosecutors argued that some of the requested material does not exist.
“They don’t have those items that they’re asking for,” said lead prosecutor David Lunan.
Judge Ron Rangel ordered that all remaining evidence be turned over by the end of this week.
A trial date could be set for early September or the first week of October.
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