Stepmother accused in slayings gets prominent attorney
The stepmother accused of helping her son kill Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn child is being represented by a prominent San Antonio criminal defense lawyer.
John Charles Bunk has been appointed by the court to represent Myrta Romanos, 47, who is charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and altering, destroying and concealing human remains.
Romanos was arrested Jan. 10, nearly a week after Christopher Preciado, 19, and his father, Ramon Preciado, 53, were arrested in connection with the killings.
The younger Preciado is charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse and altering, destroying or concealing a human corpse, in the executionstyle killings of the young couple and their unborn son.
His father was charged with abuse of a corpse and altering, destroying or concealing a human corpse.
Christopher Preciado is being represented by Monica E. Guerrero. John J. Kuntz IV is representing Ramon Preciado.
The bodies of Soto, 18, and Guerra, 22, were found in Guerra’s Kia Optima in the parking lot of a Northwest Side apartment complex. The two were found shot in the head days before Soto was scheduled to give birth to a baby boy, Fabian.
Authorities believe the killings were triggered by a drug dispute.
Bunk was a prosecutor for Bexar County for over 13 years and handled hundreds of criminal cases before going into private practice. He handled cases including capital murder, aggravated sexual assault, robbery and intoxication manslaughter.
During his time as a prosecutor, Bunk was assigned to the DWI task force and served in the family violence section. He spent his last six years as a first chair felony prosecutor, where he was assigned to various district courts and prosecuted several capital murder cases.
Bunk was also appointed as a special prosecutor in the 156th Judicial District of Texas and a special prosecutor in Bexar County for seven years.
Recently Bunk, alongside Lindsey C. Shaw, represented Christopher Bustos, 40, who was convicted of murder for fatally shooting a friend of his ex-girlfriend in 2019.
Bustos shot Gumesindo “JR” Gonzales, 36, in the chest after driving to his home and demanding to know where his wife was.
In August, Bustos was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Romanos is set to make her first court appearance on Feb. 20. Both Preciados will make their first appearances on April 16, according to court records.