At a Glance
- Case Type
- Criminal Indictment
- Parties
- Texas v. Christian Alexander Moreno
- Jurisdiction
- Bexar County, Texas
- Date
- 2023-02-24
- Status
- Sentenced
Two American Staffordshire terriers owned by Christian Alexander Moreno, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, fatally attacked Ramon Najera, 81, and critically injured his wife, Juanita Najera, 74, on the afternoon of Feb. 24, 2023, according to CNN [1]. Authorities say the attack occurred after the couple arrived at a friend's house in San Antonio and, upon exiting their vehicle, were set upon by two dogs that had escaped from a nearby yard [1][2].
When San Antonio Fire Department crews arrived, they observed an 81-year-old man being dragged on the sidewalk by one of the two dogs [2]. Firefighters fought off the animals with pike poles and pick axes as the emergency escalated into a rescue situation [2]. A bystander was also attacked and suffered injuries. Another bystander attempted to intervene using a water hose, with no effect. Three San Antonio firefighters were also attacked while trying to pull the dogs from the victims [2].
San Antonio police arrested Moreno and charged him with attack by dangerous dog causing death and injury to an elderly person, both felony offenses, according to a San Antonio Police Department statement [1][2]. Moreno was held in Bexar County Jail on bonds totaling $125,000 [2]. The dogs were identified as American Staffordshire terriers, a breed classified under the broader pit bull category, according to San Antonio Animal Care Services [1]. The two dogs involved in the attack, along with a third dog from the same household that had been left unrestrained, were taken in by San Antonio Animal Care Services and euthanized [2].
Prior conduct by the animals and their owners formed a significant part of the case against Moreno. Police say Moreno's dogs had attacked two other individuals in the neighborhood on two prior occasions, and Animal Control Services had been called to report the dogs' violent behavior multiple times [2]. Investigators say the dogs escaped through a hole in the fence, and witness video showed the animals were not wearing collars or harnesses, which were required conditions set by Animal Control Services when the dogs were previously returned to the couple [2][3]. Police also received tips that Moreno and his co-defendant had been "breeding the dogs and training the dogs to be aggressive with meat," according to the police report [3].
Moreno and his co-defendant, Abilene Schnieder, pleaded guilty on Aug. 30 to attack by dog resulting in death [3]. Moreno was subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison, and Schnieder received 15 years, for the Feb. 24, 2023, mauling [3]. Both received a $5,000 fine and were prohibited from owning a dog in the future [3]. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office stated that Moreno and Schnieder were criminally negligent by failing to provide adequate fencing and allowing the animals to roam free [3].
References
[1] CNN. (2023, February 25). 81-year-old man dies after dog attack in San Antonio; suspect arrested, police say. https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/25/us/texas-fatal-dog-attack-arrest/index.html
[2] KSAT. (2023, February 25). 'Horrific scene': Dog owner arrested after elderly man killed, 3 others injured in dog attack, officials say. https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/02/24/watch-live-san-antonio-police-at-scene-of-serious-dog-attack-on-west-side/
[3] NBC News. (2024, September 20). Texas couple sentenced to prison after pit bulls killed 81-year-old man. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-couple-sentenced-prison-pit-pulls-killed-81-year-old-man-rcna172069