A devastating conclusion to a multi-day search for a missing pregnant Texas teen and her boyfriend has left their families in anguish as they were found dead inside a vehicle, her family has revealed.
Savanah Nicole Soto, 18 - who was due to give birth this month - and her boyfriend, Matthew Guerra, had been reported missing on December 22, just a day before her scheduled induction.
The Leon Valley Police Department, in conjunction with San Antonio authorities, launched a joint investigation into their disappearance.
At a briefing on Tuesday evening, police confirmed that two individuals were found dead inside a vehicle, which they identified as Guerra's. However, they did not confirm the identities or provide details about the cause of death.
San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus described the scene as "very, very perplexing" and stated that they were exploring the possibility of homicide. However, McManus couldn't definitively state the cause of death and whether the woman found was pregnant - emphasizing that this would need to be determined by the medical examiner.
"We believe that is the missing woman and her boyfriend but we can’t confirm that right now officially until the medical examiner takes a look at the bodies and makes that determination as to their identity," he said at the conference, per the New York Post.
The discovery came after Soto's family informed the police about a vehicle they were alerted to by an individual who had come across it. The vehicle is believed to have been at the location for several days.
Guerra Family told local news station KHOU that their bodies were found in the Medical Center area of San Antonio.
A family member also told News 4 San Antonio that Soto’s body was found on Tuesday afternoon at the Colinas at Medical Apartments on the city’s northwest side.
Speaking to KENS5 News, Soto's devastated grandmother said: "I just want answers to who, what, and why — why did this happen to her?" She then thanked people for their prayers and support.
Soto had been overdue by a week, with plans for induction scheduled for Saturday night, as confirmed by police to CBS News.
Concerns were raised when she missed her appointment, leading to the issuance of a CLEAR alert by the department - typically reserved for missing adults facing immediate danger. The alert described Soto as 5'1" with brown hair and eyes and mentioned the possibility of her being in a gray 2013 Kia Optima with temporary Texas tags.
The last known location where Soto was seen was the apartment complex where she resided with Guerra - the father of her unborn child - according to KENS. Her family had been unable to contact Guerra since her disappearance.
Rachel Soto, the teen's grandmother, revealed that Savanah was eagerly anticipating the arrival of her baby boy, having decorated a nursery and chosen a name. She added: "She was thrilled and excited about being a mom... I pray to God every day, every minute, every second of the day we pray to God to bring her home, to bring her home safely because we need her home, to complete our family again."
Efforts to access Soto's apartment were made by the police on Monday but proved unsuccessful. Subsequently, friends and family organized a search of the area on Monday night, with plans for a second search on Tuesday.
Rachel Soto voiced the family's collective plea for answers, stating: "It's not normal, something's not adding up here... I want answers, we all want answers. She's a beautiful girl... She'll help anyone, and I want someone to help us."
Our thoughts are with everybody impacted by this tragedy.
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