Victor Sigala, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder after police say he beat another man to death with an aluminum baseball bat in San Antonio, Texas, and was later identified through surveillance footage while sleeping at a neighbor's home.
Background
The incident occurred May 8 when officers responded to a call from a neighbor who believed someone inside an abandoned residence on Prairie Hill Street in far southwest San Antonio may have been shot, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Upon arrival, police performed a protective sweep and discovered a pool of blood near the victim, who appeared to have sustained gunshot-like trauma to the head.
Eric Perez, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene with severe blunt force trauma to the back of his head. Investigators later determined he had been beaten to death, not shot.
The Investigation
A neighbor across the street approached officers during the investigation with visible facial injuries and disclosed that they and Perez had been involved in an altercation earlier that same day, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KSAT-TV.
Police obtained a warrant for the neighbor's home and seized surveillance footage from cameras facing where Perez was killed. While executing the warrant, investigators found Sigala asleep inside the residence.
The surveillance footage showed three masked men entering the abandoned property in the moments before Perez was killed, police said. As they left, one man removed his mask, allowing authorities to identify him as Sigala. The footage also captured a figure arriving and departing with an aluminum baseball bat, which investigators allege was the murder weapon.
Detectives interviewed witnesses who provided statements implicating Sigala in the killing. A self-described close friend told police that Sigala confessed to striking Perez with a bat, saying, "He wasn't moving."
Another witness who said he had known Sigala for approximately 30 years reported speaking with him at a park several days after the attack. According to that witness, Sigala stated, "I hit him first" and added, "I knew I killed him." Sigala also allegedly mentioned two other individuals involved in the attack—one using a metal rod and another who kicked Perez during the assault. Authorities have yet to identify those additional suspects.
The Charges
Sigala is charged with first-degree murder and is currently detained in the Bexar County Jail on $250,000 bond. He was arrested Monday following the investigation.
Police have not disclosed a potential motive for the killing. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to locate and interview the two other individuals believed to have participated in the attack.
Key Takeaways
- Eric Perez, 39, was found beaten to death at an abandoned residence on Prairie Hill Street in southwest San Antonio on May 8
- Victor Sigala, 51, allegedly confessed to striking Perez with a baseball bat to multiple witnesses, including stating "I knew I killed him"
- Surveillance footage captured three masked individuals entering and leaving the property; one removed his mask and was identified as Sigala
- Two additional suspects believed involved in the attack have not yet been identified by police
- Sigala faces first-degree murder charges with bond set at $250,000
What's Next
Sigala is expected to be formally arraigned on the first-degree murder charge in Bexar County District Court. Investigators continue their investigation into the two other individuals allegedly involved in the killing and are working to establish a motive for the attack.
Anyone with additional information about the incident or knowledge of the unidentified suspects is asked to contact the San Antonio Police Department Homicide Unit.