San Antonio, Texas — Nearly a year after a violent street fight left a man fatally wounded on the west side of San Antonio, police say they have arrested the suspect responsible for the stabbing, closing a case that began with a dispute over a stolen pair of hair clippers and ended in a homicide investigation.
Authorities announced this week that Robert Adrian Aparicio, 34, has been taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder, according to Bexar County court records. The charge stems from a January 2024 stabbing that initially was investigated as aggravated assault before the victim later died from his injuries.
Fight escalates outside west-side residence
The incident unfolded on Jan. 12, outside a home on Montezuma Street on the west side of San Antonio, police said. Officers with the San Antonio Police Department responded to reports of a stabbing and arrived to find Christopher Renteria, 39, lying in the street, bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds to his chest and body.
Renteria was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors worked to save his life. Despite emergency care, his condition quickly deteriorated.
While being transported, Renteria was able to provide officers with limited information about what had happened.
He told a police officer that a man named “Robert” had stabbed him, according to an affidavit later obtained by KSAT.
Victim suffers brain injury, unable to communicate
Shortly after being admitted to the hospital, Renteria went into cardiac arrest, police said. That medical emergency caused a severe brain injury, leaving him unable to communicate further.
According to investigators, this loss of communication significantly complicated the case. With the victim unable to testify or clarify details, detectives were forced to rely heavily on witness statements and physical evidence.
For months, the case remained open with a single charge of aggravated assault pending against an unidentified suspect.
Death leads to homicide ruling
On May 26, more than four months after the stabbing, Renteria succumbed to his injuries, police said. Medical authorities ruled his death a homicide, prompting prosecutors to upgrade the criminal charge.
Investigators, however, still needed to positively identify and locate the suspect.
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Witnesses describe argument over hair clippers
At the scene, two witnesses told police they saw the stabbing occur. Both independently corroborated the victim’s statement, telling detectives that the attacker was known as “Rob” or “Robert.”
The witnesses also described what sparked the violence.
According to police affidavits, the altercation began during an argument over a pair of hair clippers that had allegedly been stolen from Renteria.
As the confrontation escalated, Renteria reportedly smashed the driver’s side window of the suspect’s red Ford Ranger.
Suspect allegedly retrieved knife and chased victim
Police allege that after the window was broken, the suspect went to his truck, retrieved a knife, and chased Renteria down the street.
Investigators say Renteria eventually stumbled and fell in the roadway. It was at that point, police allege, that the suspect repeatedly stabbed him.
After the attack, the suspect allegedly fled the scene in the red Ford Ranger.
Surveillance video provides critical evidence
Detectives later uncovered surveillance footage from nearby cameras that captured both the incident and its aftermath. According to police, the videos showed the suspect clearly and documented the clothing he was wearing at the time.
One piece of footage proved especially valuable.
Investigators say one video contained audio of a witness reading aloud most of the Minnesota license plate number attached to the Ford Ranger.
That detail gave detectives a crucial lead.
Break in case months later
The investigation took a significant turn on Nov. 20, when a detective obtained a photograph of a man matching the suspect’s description. In the image, police say the man was wearing many of the same clothing items seen in the January surveillance footage while loading tree limbs into the bed of a red Ford Ranger.
Police traced the photograph to an apartment complex where landscaping work had been performed. After contacting the complex’s general manager, detectives learned that the man had responded to a Craigslist ad for tree trimming.
That information led investigators to a phone number, which police say belonged to Aparicio.
Witness identification and arrest
On Nov. 21, the two witnesses from the night of the stabbing were shown a photo lineup. According to police, both identified Aparicio as the man responsible for the attack.
Early Thursday morning, officers arrested Aparicio without incident.
He is currently being held in the Bexar County Jail on a $350,000 bond, jail records show.
Case highlights consequences of everyday disputes
Police say the case underscores how seemingly minor disputes can escalate into deadly violence, leaving families and communities to deal with irreversible consequences.
The investigation remains active as the case moves through the court system.
What are your thoughts on this case and how quickly everyday conflicts can turn fatal? Share your perspective in the comments below.
