The murder trial of Daniel Gonzalez opened this week at the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio. Prosecutors contend they have enough evidence to prove Gonzalez pulled the trigger that killed Donnell Sterling in October 2024.
Prosecution’s case
According to the state, Sterling was found dead inside his apartment at Victoria Plaza, a downtown San Antonio complex. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. Prosecutors say the murder weapon was recovered from Gonzalez’s possession and that shell casings from the gun match those found at the crime scene.
During opening statements, prosecutor Jordan Brown said a key witness, former girlfriend Crystal Delarosa, will testify that she and Gonzalez went to Sterling’s apartment together. “You are going to hear from Crystal that they went to Donnie’s apartment,” Brown told the jury, adding that Delarosa will describe how Sterling was sitting at a table when Gonzalez shot him in the head.
Defense challenges
Gonzalez’s defense attorney, Alfonso Cabañas, urged jurors to scrutinize the state’s evidence and the credibility of Delarosa. The defense highlighted that no eyewitness independently identified Gonzalez as the shooter and that Gonzalez’s DNA was not found at the scene. Cabañas also suggested that Delarosa’s account should be examined closely, implying she may have had a role in Sterling’s death.
Under Texas law, the burden of proof rests with the prosecution, which must establish Gonzalez’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense does not need to prove who actually killed Sterling, only to raise sufficient doubt about the state’s case.
Potential consequences and related case
If convicted of Sterling’s murder, Gonzalez faces a possible life sentence. He also faces a separate murder charge involving another man who was found dead at the same Victoria Plaza apartment complex; that case has not yet been scheduled for trial.
Closing arguments are expected later this week, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
