SAN ANTONIO – After a lengthy punishment hearing, a judge is set to announce the fate of a couple involved in a tragic dog attack that resulted in the death of an elderly man and serious injuries to his wife.
Abilene Schnieder and Christian Moreno opted to plead guilty to the charge of dangerous dog attack resulting in death, bypassing a trial and proceeding straight to the punishment phase.
Two of their dogs were responsible for the fatal attack on 81-year-old Ramon Najera and the severe injury to his wife, Janie.
Over the course of three days, 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza listened to testimonies from more than 20 witnesses presented by both the prosecution and the defense.
Neighbors who had long complained about Schnieder and Moreno’s loose, aggressive dogs were key witnesses for the state, as well as Janie Najera, who bravely recounted the horrifying attack.
The defense is pushing for probation for both defendants, arguing that Animal Care Services failed in their responsibilities to control the situation adequately.
Although the dogs were quarantined prior to the fatal attack, a previous bite incident was not deemed serious, allowing the owners to retrieve their pets after a short period.
Schnieder and Moreno potentially face up to 20 years in prison as they await their sentencing, which will be livestreamed by KSAT 12, scheduled to begin at approximately 1:30 p.m.
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