Background: News footage of the scene on Oct. 19 where Julio Cesar Martinez Padron was shot (KSAT). Inset: Ramiro Espinoza Jr. (Bexar County Sheriff”s Office).
Ramiro Espinoza Jr., aged 43, faces murder charges after allegedly shooting 59-year-old Julio Cesar Martinez Padron, who succumbed to his injuries on Monday. Witnesses reported that Espinoza and Padron had a heated dispute inside the bar on Sunday night, as outlined in an arrest affidavit from local ABC affiliate KSAT.
Around 11 p.m., the two men exited the bar and headed to their cars. As Padron entered his SUV to depart, Espinoza is accused of retrieving a firearm from his own vehicle.
The affidavit reveals that the men had to be physically separated during their bar dispute. Subsequently, Espinoza, armed with a gun, approached Padron’s SUV window and allegedly declared, “I got you now” before firing multiple shots at Padron’s head. Espinoza reportedly fled the scene, with his vehicle’s license plate captured by a San Antonio Police Department ALPR (Automated License Plate Recognition) camera.
Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Padron was found unresponsive on the ground beside his SUV. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition but sadly passed away the following day.
When police arrived at the scene, Padron was on the ground next to his SUV, unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and succumbed to his injuries the next day.
In addition to having Espinoza’s license plate number, police said witnesses also picked his photo out of a lineup. Another witness provided a partial license plate number for his vehicle.
Espinoza was charged with murder and appeared in court on Tuesday. His bond was set at $250,000 and he remains in custody. He is scheduled for a pre-indictment hearing on Jan. 15, 2026.
