Anthony Guzman

Man charged with capital murder 11 days after being released from jail on separate gun charge, records show

Mary Claire Patton, Digital Journalist

SAN ANTONIO – A man is back in jail on a capital murder charge less than two weeks after being released for a separate gun incident.

Anthony Guzman, 27, was arrested Thursday for allegedly murdering 54-year-old Vicente H. Zurita just before 10 p.m. Saturday at Mary’s Car Wash in the 2900 block of Commercial Avenue on the South Side.

San Antonio police responded to the shooting Saturday and found Zurita laying next to his truck in a car wash bay with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police interviewed witnesses who said two suspects fled the location after attempting to rob the victim before shooting him.

One suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting. He was found to have a gun in his waistband that matched the caliber bullet that killed Zurita, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

San Antonio police confirmed to KSAT that the suspect is a 16-year-old male. Police are unable to release his name due to his age.

Witnesses were able to provide more details and Guzman was identified as the second shooter in the robbery, the affidavit states.

Following an investigation, SAPD officials said covert officers arrested Guzman without incident at the Southwest Side intersection of Apple Valley and Fur Valley Thursday on a capital murder warrant.

Court records show he had been released from jail 11 days prior to the deadly shooting.

Guzman was arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon in a motor vehicle and subsequently released in Aug. 2022. He failed to appear for a court hearing for that gun charge and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Nov. 1.

According to court records, Guzman was arrested a second time on May 14 for failing to appear at the Nov. court hearing. He was released on bond again on May 16 and the fatal shooting occurred 11 days after his release.

Court records show Guzman’s bond is $200,000 for the capital murder charge.

Someone convicted of capital murder in Texas could face the death penalty.

Guzman has prior charges for drug possession and evading arrest. He also has a charge for possession of prohibited knuckles from 2013.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on House Bill 446, also known as the self-defense bill, making it legal to carry certain self-defense, including brass knuckles, in 2019.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023...-records-show/