by | Published
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — An 18-year-old has been sentenced to two concurrent 50-year prison terms after pleading guilty to two separate fatal shootings, according to court officials.
Rene Gonzales was sentenced Thursday by Judge Joel Perez in the 437th District Court after being found guilty in the deaths of Novita Brazil and Gabriel Gonzales.
Prosecutors said the first incident occurred in October 2022, when Gonzales was 14 years old. He became involved in a drive-by shooting targeting a different residence but instead fired at Brazil’s home, killing her.
While awaiting trial for that case, Gonzales violated the conditions of his bond by removing his GPS ankle monitor. Authorities said that about a year later, he was involved in a second deadly shooting.
In that incident, Gonzales shot and killed Gabriel Gonzales, who was attempting to defend his daughter during an assault involving Gonzales’ sister outside their home.
The sentences were part of a plea agreement, with both 50-year terms to be served concurrently.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Neal Cordero, Nick Mahrou, and Erika Di Nunzio, with support from Victim Advocate Rachel Garcia and investigators Anthony Reed and Mario Esparza.
“Today, we stand in solidarity with Novita and Gabriel’s loved ones,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. “We recognize that no judgment can replace what was taken, but we hope that it will provide the families with some measure of closure.”
