Prosecutors Rest After Fingerprint, Cell‑site and Ballistics Evidence in Ashbaugh Shooting Trial

Prosecutors in Bexar County District Court rested their case in the trial of defendant Tyler Ashbaugh after presenting fingerprint, cellphone‑tower and firearms‑matching evidence and admitting multiple exhibits into evidence. The defense then called Ashbaugh to the stand, where he acknowledged firing three shots into the ground but denied having aimed at police or at any vehicle.

The state’s evidence included testimony from a latent‑print examiner, a cell‑site analyst and a firearms examiner. Sandra Ruiz, a latent fingerprint examiner for the San Antonio Police Department, testified that she examined five lifted prints from the scene and identified a legible print on one card she said matched Ashbaugh’s known prints, identifying it to the left thumb found on a detached rear‑view mirror submitted in evidence.

Sergeant Christopher Lloyd of the San Antonio Police Department’s homicide unit described automated analysis he conducted with a program called CellHawk. Lloyd testified the phone associated with the defendant showed usage consistent…