BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — A jury has found Roland Contreras Jr. guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting death of Gabrielle Del Angel outside a taco stand, leading to a sentence of 50 years in prison. The case, marked by a sudden altercation that escalated tragically, highlights the ongoing impact of violence on communities.
On March 27, Bexar County jurors reached their verdict after a brief deliberation that lasted less than an hour. Contreras, 35, accepted a plea deal agreeing to a 50-year prison term following the murder conviction. The incident unfolded on April 6, 2023, when Del Angel, 33, was shot while seated in a Jeep, an attack that also involved an attempted shooting of her husband during a heated exchange outside the food truck.
Witness accounts reveal that Del Angel and her husband had stopped for food at a taco stand located in the 1800 block of Southwest Military Drive around 9:30 p.m. As they waited, Contreras confronted them with a firearm. The husband fled to the Jeep, but while trying to escape, he accidentally collided with another parked car. Contreras then fired a shot through the vehicle’s window, tragically striking Del Angel in the chest. Investigators confirmed that she was likely not the intended target of the gunfire.
The chaotic events did not conclude at the taco stand. Del Angel’s husband drove to a nearby gas station in search of help, where she was later pronounced dead. Initial reports indicated that Contreras and the victim’s husband had a previous acquaintance through a former girlfriend, although the precise reason for their violent encounter remains murky. The confrontation was described as abrupt, with no clarity surrounding the nature of the argument that sparked the shooting.
Del Angel was remembered fondly by her family as a devoted mother of three and a special education teacher in the Southside Independent School District. Her passing resonates deeply within the community, which mourns the loss of a nurturing educator and loving parent. Family members emphasized her influence and commitment to her students, reinforcing that the tragedy extends beyond the courtroom into the lives of many.
Contreras did not immediately surrender following the incident; instead, he barricaded himself inside a home approximately two miles from the scene of the shooting. Law enforcement executed a lengthy standoff that lasted over 12 hours, but he ultimately escaped capture for nearly a month before police apprehended him. This period of uncertainty added emotional strain to Del Angel’s grieving family as they awaited justice.
When the trial commenced, the gravity of the case weighed heavily on jurors, leading them to deliberate swiftly before reaching their verdict. During the sentencing phase, Contreras’ plea arrangement stipulated that he could be eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence. Although the guilty verdict addressed the charges at hand, it does not alleviate the shocking nature of the violence that took Del Angel’s life in an instant.
As the case officially closes at the trial-court level, no major further proceedings were reported, although appeals or parole reviews could extend its timeline. Contreras now faces a long sentence that aims to provide some measure of closure, even as the community grapples with the lasting impact of this tragic event.