Multiple pleas and probation conditions set in Bexar County session; jury acquits Simon Alexander Garza of manslaughter

The 187th District Court in Bexar County resolved several cases at a single session and recorded a not‑guilty verdict in a high‑profile manslaughter charge.

The judge accepted a plea for Luis Salinas to a controlled‑substance count and imposed a two‑year prison sentence that was suspended in favor of three years of community supervision. The judge described conditions that will govern Salinas’s supervision: an $800 fine to be probated, 300 hours of community‑service restitution (with deductions for completing a GED or trade certification and for sober‑support meetings), regular random urine analyses, and an evaluation for felony drug court. “All drugs are dangerous, but fentanyl is especially dangerous,” the judge said while explaining the court’s concerns and the need for treatment and monitoring.

Defense counsel Greg DeMaray confirmed discovery had been provided and asked the court to follow the plea agreement. The judge told the defendant the court would order a felony‑drug‑court evaluation and warned that if the defendant failed to complete conditions he faced the possibility of incarceration.

The court also approved deferred adjudication for Caitlin Middell on a lesser included offense of attempted burglary of a habitation. The court deferred a finding of guilt and placed Middell on three years of regular reporting with a TAP evaluation, a specified period of community service (200 hours with some deductions possible), and an $800 fine subject to probation. The judge noted that, even with deferred adjudication, the conviction can affect licensing and other professional considerations.

In a separate matter, Pablo Hall pleaded guilty and the court imposed six months in the Bexar County jail under the plea agreement, along with an $800 fine and credit for time served.

At a probation‑violation proceeding for a separate defendant, counsel and probation staff described the person’s medical problems and a history of DWI‑related supervision. Probation recommended continued supervision and treatment rather than immediate revocation; the judge agreed to reset the matter to allow in‑person review and to explore inpatient placement options, scheduling the matter for April 28.

The session ended with the trial in the case of Simon Alexander Garza. After argument over whether the state had offered sufficient evidence to support a reckless‑conduct mens rea, the court granted the defense motion for a directed verdict on the manslaughter count and instructed the jury accordingly. The jury returned a unanimous verdict: the jury found Simon Alexander Garza not guilty of manslaughter. The judge read the verdict to the courtroom and the parties did not ask for a jury poll.

What happens next: the court’s minute entries will reflect the pleas, conditions and the jury verdict. Defendants subject to probation or deferred adjudication were instructed how to contact probation staff and were told follow‑up evaluations or reporting steps would occur as ordered by the court.