On the evening of September 12, 2023, 44-year-old Lydia Morales was fatally shot at the Forest Ridge Apartments in San Antonio, Texas. The incident stemmed from an ongoing dispute between Morales and her neighbor, 54-year-old David John Grejtak. According to reports, a verbal altercation escalated when Grejtak confronted a male relative of Morales. As tensions rose, Morales approached Grejtak to address the situation, at which point he drew a firearm and shot her.
Morales was transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
In the immediate aftermath, Grejtak claimed the shooting was in self-defense, alleging that Morales had assaulted him and that he feared for his life. However, surveillance footage from the apartment complex contradicted his account. The video evidence showed Grejtak leaving his apartment with a holstered firearm and did not support his claims of being physically threatened by Morales or her relative. Based on this evidence, San Antonio police arrested Grejtak on September 14, 2023, charging him with murder. He was subsequently booked into the Bexar County Jail with bail set at $200,000.
Morales was remembered by her family as a hardworking woman and a devoted mother and grandmother. She is survived by her children—Alexis, Darius, Martavius, Ashanti, and Lavonte—as well as six grandchildren. Her obituary noted her love for cooking and spending time with her family, highlighting the profound impact she had on those around her. Funeral services were held on October 6, 2023, at Hillcrest Funeral Home in San Antonio, followed by interment at San Jose Burial Park.
