Family Speaks Out About Pregnant Teen's Death
The family of Savanah Nicole Soto, a pregnant 18-year-old who was missing for several days before she and her boyfriend were found dead in a vehicle in San Antonio, Texas, is speaking out about the teen's death.
On Tuesday, the bodies of a woman and man, believed to be the missing couple, were found in a vehicle by a searcher who contacted Soto's family, who then called police. The woman was pregnant, police said, and the unborn child was also dead.
In a statement Wednesday, police said the victims, an 18-year-old woman and 22-year-old man, each had a gunshot wound. The investigation has been categorized as a capital murder case.
San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus called it a "very, very perplexing crime scene" and said investigators were looking into the possibility of homicide.
"The medical examiner's examination is still pending, so we cannot confirm that it was the missing woman and her boyfriend," said McManus.
CBS News spoke with Gloria Cordova, the mother of the missing woman, who believes her daughter was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"I don't think it had anything to do with my daughter, it was him and the things he was involved in," Cordova said, referring to Matthew Guerra. "My daughter just happened to be there with him, and they didn't want any witnesses who could identify them. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
According to family, there was a history of abuse
The mother and aunt of the missing woman both stated that the relationship between her and Guerra was abusive.
"He used to physically abuse her," said Soto's mother. "I always told her to leave him, but she never listened. However, this time I think she was planning to leave him. That's what I've heard."
Soto's aunt, Laura Cordova, also confirmed that the couple had a tumultuous relationship. She mentioned that her niece had visible bruises and that Guerra had been physically violent towards her throughout her pregnancy.
Police have not yet addressed or verified the allegations of abuse.
Soto's mother, Gloria Cordova, revealed that there was a disagreement between the couple regarding her presence in the delivery room during Soto's childbirth. Cordova stated that Guerra did not want her in the room, but Soto insisted that she could be present.
CBS News attempted to contact Guerra's family for comment but has not received a response.
Details of the Crime Scene
Jordan Corona, Soto's brother, informed CBS News that the police informed him that no weapon was found at the crime scene. Both Guerra and Soto were shot in the back of their heads.
Laura Cordova, Soto's aunt, shared that a detective informed her that Guerra was discovered slumped over in the backseat of the vehicle, while Soto was in the front.
According to Soto's mother, she was holding a car seat at the time. "She had the car seat on her lap, so she was going to the hospital," said Gloria Cordova.
Police have mentioned that the car may have been at the location where it was found for a possible duration of three or four days.
"I wish she was here with her baby"
Soto's relatives expressed their shock and grief over the loss of the teenager and her unborn child. The family had already experienced the loss of another child, Soto's brother Ethan, just last year.
Laura Cordova recalled seeing her niece a few days before she went missing and noted that Soto was eagerly anticipating motherhood.
"I can't help but wish she was here with her baby," Laura Cordova expressed, her voice trembling with tears.
Gloria Cordova shared that her daughter "was like a mini mom" who eagerly anticipated motherhood.
"She was my rock. She's the one who kept me going," she shared. "I don't want to accept that she's gone. The pain is too much. She was my only daughter."
She revealed that Soto's brothers are devastated by the loss of their sister.
"It shattered my heart when they told me she passed away. And even knowing how she passed away, it hurts me so deeply," Cordova expressed. "But now I have to believe that she's with her brother in heaven. She's no longer in pain."
