Student’s death still an open investigation a year later
A year after Joseph Banales was found dead inside his car on the Northeast Side, the case remains open.
The 22-year-old college student dropped off his girlfriend after they attended a Military Ball and never returned home.
This week, the Selma Police Department issued a news release stating it was “reaffirming its resolve to bring the murderer to justice.”
“We have interviewed hundreds of people but just haven’t found the right one yet,” a post from February stated. Police have urged the community to come forward with any information regarding the 22-year-old’s death.
Selma police found Banales unresponsive around 11:45 p.m. April 15, 2023, in the 15400 block of Interstate 35 North. Initially, it was reported as an accident, but investigators found that he had been shot in the back of the head through the driver’s side window.
Witnesses said Banales began swerving while he was driving. His car almost struck another vehicle before crashing into a median, police said.
Police identified a vehicle of interest near the crime scene. It was listed as a dark-colored Nissan 350z or 370z.
Banales was a nursing student slated to graduate from the University of Incarnate Word. He was also part of the school’s Army ROTC program and headed toward being commissioned as an officer in the Army’s nursing corps.
Last December, Banales’ parents accepted his posthumous degree during UIW’S commencement ceremony.
“We are proud to honor Joseph today by presenting his diploma to his mother and father,” UIW Vice Provost Dimitri Tamalis said.
In an October interview with
KENS 5, Banales’ mother, Frances Szabo, said she was in “disbelief” when she got the call that her son had died. Her family believes it was an act of road rage that killed her son that night.
“He was a beautiful young man. There was no reason for this; anger is never the answer,” Szabo said.
The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is still offering a reward of $25,000 for information regarding Banales’ death. San Antonio Crime Stoppers also is offering up to $5,000. Banales’ family has said it will offer an additional $30,000 for information leading to an arrest.