Aaron Jackson Peterman, a 20-year-old male student at Texas State University, was tragically found dead inside his apartment at Park North Condos on Aquarena Springs Drive in San Marcos, Texas, on February 13, 2019. He had been shot once, and the incident was initially investigated as a robbery-homicide. Peterman's family member discovered his body early in the morning, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The San Marcos Police Department identified two suspects in connection with
Peterman's death: James Lee Zapata Jr., 19, and Martin Garcia Jr., 23. Both were charged with capital murder and arrested by Austin police and the Texas Rangers. The investigation revealed that the shooting was likely the result of a drug-related robbery gone wrong. Zapata and Garcia were held in the Hays County Jail on $750,000 bail each.
In October 2022, James Lee Zapata Jr. pled guilty to the murder and received a life sentence. Martin Garcia Jr. also pled guilty and received a life sentence in July 2022. The case concluded with both suspects being sentenced to life in prison for their roles in Peterman's death.
The tragic incident marked the first homicide in San Marcos for the year 2019 and was the second shooting death at the same residential complex within six months. The community and Peterman's family were deeply affected by the loss, and the San Marcos Police Department continued to seek any additional information that could aid in the investigation.
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