Family and friends described Joshua Cuellar as a loving, caring man who was always extending a helping hand. The 34-year-old male was a brother and a son who, according to his younger brother Gabe, had once expressed a wish to donate his eyes to someone in need when he died. His mother, Mel, later remembered him as someone who stayed to himself and did not deserve his violent end.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 14, 2024, a fight broke out in the parking lot of the 210
Sports Cantina & Grill on Southwest Military Drive in San Antonio. As the altercation escalated around 2:20 a.m., shots were fired from two different locations. Cuellar was struck in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. A relative of his was also injured by gunfire but was taken to the hospital by a friend. Several people fled the area after the shooting.
In the days that followed, Cuellar’s grieving family pleaded for anyone with information to come forward. Investigators recovered six 9mm shell casings from the parking lot, and ballistics tests connected them to two other recent shootings in the area. Police also received several tips through Crime Stoppers identifying a suspect, with some tipsters claiming the man was bragging about committing the murder. Surveillance footage and vehicle tracking showed a Ford F-250 truck, identified as belonging to the suspect, leaving the bar moments after the gunshots.
On April 12, 2024, U.S. Marshals and the Pleasanton Police Department arrested 37-year-old Joseph R. Olivarri in connection with Cuellar’s death. He was charged with murder. However, in the summer of 2024, the Bexar County District Attorney's Office dismissed the charge for further investigation.
In early 2025, Olivarri was arrested again on unrelated firearm charges after allegedly firing a stolen gun during a street fight. He was released on bond with the condition that he wear an ankle monitor, but authorities said he cut the device off just days later and fled. U.S. Marshals and police recaptured him in March 2025.
As of March 2025, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office stated that it still intended to pursue the murder case against Olivarri. The 210 Sports Cantina & Grill was shut down following the homicide, citing the incident as the reason for its closure. The case remains unsolved, and authorities urge anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867. Callers may remain anonymous.
