A Texas couple was sentenced to more than a decade in prison each Friday after their pit bulls got loose and killed an 81-year-old man last year, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office said.
Christian Moreno was sentenced to 18 years in prison and Abilene Schnieder was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the Feb. 24, 2023, mauling near their San Antonio home.
Ramon Najera, 81, was killed and his wife, Juanita Najera, was injured in the attack.
The dogs got loose and attacked the Najeras as they were running errands nearby, officials said.
“What happened to Mr. Najera was an unspeakable horror,” 226th District Court Judge Velia J. Meza said before imposing the sentence.
Firefighters who arrived on the scene saw a bloodied man being dragged around a corner by dogs, and the firefighters had to use pickaxes to fend off the animals, the city’s fire chief said at the time.
The three dogs involved in the attack or off their property at the time were euthanized, Animal Care Services said at the time of the attack.
The district attorney’s office said Moreno and Schnieder were criminally negligent by not providing adequate fencing and allowing the animals to roam free.
Juanita Najera told the court Friday that she has post-traumatic stress disorder, courtroom video broadcast by NBC affiliate WOAI of San Antonio shows.
“I would never have imagined I’d be calling myself a widow at this time in my life, and in this tragic way,” she said. “PTSD is now something I will have to deal with the rest of my life. Extreme loneliness and emptiness will also be a part of my life.”
“You both took a big part of my life away,” she said, putting her hand to her mouth and sobbing. “You took my better half away.”
There had been previous complaints about loose and aggressive dogs from that home, officials said at the time of the attack.
Moreno and Schnieder pleaded guilty Aug. 30 to attack by dog resulting in death.
“This unfortunate tragedy was preventable. The defendants’ failure to act responsibly and secure their pit bulls resulted in injuries and the loss of a life,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement.
Attorneys listed as representing Moreno and Schnieder did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment after business hours Friday evening.
If paroled, Moreno and Schnieder are prohibited from owning or possessing dogs.
“Mr. Moreno, Ms. Schnieder, this is about responsible dog ownership,” the judge said. “It involves not only taking care of your dog, but ensuring the safety of the people in our neighborhoods, in our communities.”
