Young mother Savanna Krueger died after an alleged chokehold during an argument, according to police.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A San Antonio man charged with murder in the death of his child’s mother is expected in court Aug. 12 after police said he admitted putting her in a headlock.
Marc Balditt, 24, was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center after the May 13 death of 23-year-old Savanna Krueger. His bond was set at $250,000, according to local reports. The next court date gives prosecutors and defense attorneys time to review police reports, medical findings and statements from the night officers responded to an apartment on Locke Street.
The case began before it reached the courthouse. Police said officers were sent just after 10 p.m. to The Park at Sutton Oaks Apartments in the 1000 block of Locke Street for an assault in progress. Investigators said Balditt called 911 and told dispatchers that a woman was not responding after he placed her in a headlock. The call led officers to an apartment bedroom, where they found Krueger with redness on her neck and apparent vomit on her face. She was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency responders arrived.
After the scene was secured, investigators spoke with Balditt. Police said he told them he and Krueger had been talking about their child when the conversation turned into an argument. The police account says the dispute became physical and that Balditt put Krueger in a chokehold for one to two minutes. Investigators said he described the act as an effort to put her to sleep. Police have not released the full statement, and future court hearings may address how the statement was recorded, preserved and presented.
Balditt was arrested and later booked just after 5 p.m. May 14. The murder charge moves through Bexar County’s felony court system, where early hearings can address bond, appointment or hiring of counsel, probable cause and scheduling. The public reports do not list a plea. A defendant in a criminal case is presumed innocent unless convicted. Prosecutors must prove each element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt if the case reaches trial.
The medical side of the case remains important to the court process. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Krueger, but the early reports said her cause and manner of death were pending. A final autopsy report could become central evidence. It may address whether Krueger died from asphyxia, neck compression, aspiration, another injury or a separate medical factor. It may also help clarify the timing between the alleged hold, the loss of responsiveness and the arrival of emergency responders.
The child shared by Balditt and Krueger was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services after police arrived, according to local reports. That action does not decide the criminal case, but it shows how quickly the death affected the family beyond the apartment. Officials have not released the child’s age, whether the child was present during the argument, or whether relatives were considered for placement. Because the matter involves a minor, many child welfare details are expected to remain confidential.
The prosecution’s case is likely to rely on several categories of evidence. The 911 call may show what was said before officers arrived. Officer observations may describe Krueger’s position, condition and visible injuries. Medical records may explain the death. Any statements attributed to Balditt may become evidence if a judge allows them. Detectives may also review phone records, apartment access records, witness interviews and possible surveillance video from the complex. None of those materials has been released in full through the public reports.
The defense may focus on the same records from a different angle. Questions could include whether Balditt’s words were accurately recorded, whether the alleged one- to two-minute time frame is supported by other evidence, whether the medical examiner’s findings match the police theory, and whether any other facts affect the level of charge. Those issues are common in homicide cases built from statements, medical findings and a private home scene rather than multiple public witnesses.
Krueger’s death also changed the case from an apartment response into a public court file. Early reports first described her only as the mother of Balditt’s child before the medical examiner identified her by name. Police have not released a detailed biography, and relatives have not been quoted in the main public reports. The record so far is narrow: an argument about a child, an alleged headlock, a 911 call, a bedroom scene, an arrest and a pending medical ruling.
The next known milestone is Balditt’s Aug. 12 court appearance. Until then, the case stands as a pending murder prosecution with a $250,000 bond, a named victim, an alleged statement to police and several unanswered questions that may be addressed through medical records and court filings.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.