A Texas man with a criminal record allegedly boasted about his time in prison when he killed another man last month, according to investigators.
Steve Gonzales Rocco, 65, is accused of one count of murder, according to the San Antonio Police Department.
According to an arrest warrant document acquired by Law&Crime, Rocco allegedly shot and killed Darryl Glynn Byrd, 60, after an altercation over a woman at an apartment on March 23.
The defendant allegedly informed the victim, “I’ve done 30 years,” before firing the deadly rounds. “I’m not afraid of doing it again.”
The event happened at a residence on East Southcross Boulevard. By the time officers got to multiple complaints about the ongoing shooting, Byrd had died and his assailant had fled, officials say.
“The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit. “There were apparent shell casings found inside the apartment near the victim.”
Police allege that two witnesses at the site provided “limited statements to detectives.” Meanwhile, a third witness, who claimed to have been at the flat earlier in the day but had departed prior to the violence, identified a fourth witness who would prove critical in the investigation.
As investigators attempted to locate the fourth witness using a photo issued to patrol officers, “multiple tips” regarding the crime came in, identifying Rocco as the gunman, authorities allege.
“One tipster who has been identified provided a brief statement over the phone that she saw the suspect go into the apartment, heard the shots, then saw the suspect flee on foot holding a firearm in his hand,” according to the affidavit for the arrest warrant.
According to several witnesses, Rocco and Byrd were bickering about the woman in question. No witnesses were named by name.
On March 30, the elusive fourth witness was identified and purportedly communicated the following version of events: Rocco arrived at the flat unannounced, knocked on the door, entered, and immediately began arguing with Byrd about taking the anonymous woman “out for the night,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
“The suspect had a gun in a holster and began motioning for it as the argument escalated,” the police report states. “The victim was unarmed and held his hands up. “The suspect shot the victim five times from close range.”
According to the fourth witness, as the gunfire erupted, Rocco made a sanguine statement about returning to prison.
According to investigators, Byrd died as the result of multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest.
According to the fourth witness, the woman being disputed over “had no expression on her face” as the deceased died and the suspect fled; another witness in the apartment stood still in the kitchen while the fourth witness, too, fled the bloody scene.
The defendant was detained on Sunday and put into the Bexar County Jail on a $150,000 bail.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, Rocco faces criminal allegations dating back to 1983. An indictment in the case is currently pending.