Judge Sentences Both Owners to Over 10 Years in Prison After Fatal Dog Mauling
Prosecution presents closing arguments to 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza.
Judge Issues Sentences
UPDATE 09/20/24: On Friday, September 20, 2024, Judge Velia Meza sentenced the owners of two pit bulls that brutally killed a man and critically injured his wife in February of 2023. Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder, both 32, were each sentenced to over 10-years in prison in connection to the death of 81-year old Ramon Najera. Charges of recklessly causing injury to an elderly person, his wife Janie Najera, were dismissed in August when the couple pleaded guilty, whereby avoiding a trial.
Judge Meza asked the defendants to stand before she read her sentence. Meza then sentenced Moreno to 18 years of confinement and Schnieder to 15 years of confinement in connection to their pit bulls killing Ramon, calling the attack "an unspeakable horror that is going to resonate in our community for a very long time." The dogs had bitten three people leading up to the February 24, 2023 fatal mauling. After each bite victim, the owners paid fees to have their dogs returned to them.
Judge Meza issued the longest sentence our nonprofit has ever seen under the Texas felony dog attack statute that was enacted in 2007. The offense is a second-degree felony and punishable by up to 20 years. After the judge ruled, Moreno and Schnieder were handcuffed. Janie then gave a powerful victim impact statement. Janie agreed with the judge's ruling, calling it "adequate punishment", but also believed "the city should be there sitting next to you guys because they are guilty too."
"What happened to Mr. Najera was an unspeakable horror that is going to resonate in our community for a very long time. Unlike any other cases I have presided over, this one is different. It is different because we are not dealing with an intentional act. We are not dealing with a drive by shooting or any other type of murder. It was a case of criminally negligent behavior.
On the one hand, we have the city of San Antonio Animal Care Services swearing under oath, giving testimony that left me with the impression that this was about a 'missing affidavit.' That none of the previous bite victims came forward to declare the dogs 'dangerous dogs.' After hearing from the neighbors on Depla and Darby Street, I find the testimony I heard from the city of San Antonio very difficult to believe. What I do believe is the people from the West Side neighborhood. I find the testimony of David Avila, Fernando Esparza, Deborah Flores, Silvia Avila, not only credible, but very persuasive and compelling.
The city of San Antonio is not on trial here. They will have their day in court, and their lawsuit to contend with. But about this case, what I do have to say is that it's not about a 'missing affidavit.' Clearly our city has a lot of work to do to provide services to deal with responsible dog ownership. To echo what most, if not all the witnesses testified to, this was preventable. If the first line of defense fails because dog owners are not responsible, the second line of defense should not have failed.
Mr. Moreno, Mrs. Schnieder, this is about responsible dog ownership. It involves not only taking care of your dog but insuring the safety of the people in our neighborhoods, in our communities. Not only the people, but other pets in the neighborhood and communities. We all have that responsibility to each other, and you failed at that.
Mr. Moreno, it is the order of the Court that you will be sentenced to 18 years confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division. There is a $5,000 fine. No restitution -- the victim has not requested restitution. You are prohibited from owning or possessing 'any' dogs if you make parole on this case. This is a plea bargain case, however, you have the right to appeal...
Mrs. Schnieder, your sentence is 15 years confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division. There is a $5,000 fine. No restitution -- because Mrs. Najera does not want it. You too are prohibited from owning or possessing 'any' dogs if you make parole. Both of you are also ordered to have no contact with Depla Street and Darby Street. Yours is also a plea bargain case. However, you have a right to appeal..." - District Court Judge Velia Meza, September 20, 2024
09/19/24: The State's Closing Arguments
San Antonio, TX - On February 24, 2023, Ramon Najera, 81, was brutally killed by two pit bulls in front of his 75-year old wife, Janie Najera, in the 2800 block of Depla Street. One of the dogs tore a dialysis shunt out of Ramon's arm. "There was blood all over the place," one witness said. When San Antonio firefighters arrived, they fought off the pit bulls with pickaxes and pipe poles. Both dog owners pleaded guilty to one felony count in August. Last week, the punishment phase of the trial was held.
Judge Velia Meza will announce sentencing on September 20. Leading up to this, we are running several videos. The first is the testimony of Ramon's widow, Janie, who suffered critical injuries in the attack, followed by SAPD Officer Jesse Mendez, who was one of the first to arrive on the scene. Our last video in this series are the closing arguments by Bexar County prosecutor Raul Jordan, who walks through the "Negligence Timeline" and even points out the old scarring wounds on the pit bulls.
Jordan begins by declaring that the dog owners, Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder,1 showed "conscious indifference" to the dangers their dogs posed to the public. There were three previous bites leading up to the fatal attack, along with numerous neighbors confronting them about their aggressive dogs. During this period, prior to the deadly mauling, Moreno and Schnieder plastered a sign on their home that read: "Fuck you Cops, CPS, Mayor, Callers!!!! Suck a dick and go 2 hell."
Jordan also addresses the defense's argument that because the defendants are "poor" they used their pit bulls as a "security system." During the period of the previous bites, September 2021 to January 2023, the couple at times did not have electricity or running water, and dog feces were found smeared on the floors of their home. Yet, they always managed to come up with hundreds in cash to get their dogs out of impound ($1,000 total). "It doesn't make sense," Jordan said. "It's just so suspicious."
"Where are they getting the money? Why are they getting these dogs out of custody?" the prosecutor asked the court. "It's just so suspicious."
The maximum penalty under the Texas felony dog attack statute is 20 years in prison. "That is exactly what the state is asking for, 20 years," Jordan told the court. "We believe that every single one of those years is well-deserved." Extenuating circumstances include the judge weighing the defense's argument that the city of San Antonio could have processed these dogs as "dangerous dogs" due to their repeated bite history, which would have led to them being euthanized before the fatal attack.
During prosecution closing arguments, the state showed old scar wounds on pit bull "King."
Related articles:
10/01/24: San Antonio Animal Control Testimony During Punishment Phase of Fatal Dog Attack Trial
09/19/24: San Antonio Police Officer Testifies In Punishment Phase of Fatal Dog Attack Trial
09/18/24: Janie Najera, the Wife of Victim, Testifies In Punishment Phase of Fatal Dog Attack Trial
09/09/24: Federal Civil Lawsuit Filed Against City: Najera et al v. City of San Antonio et al
I hope they each get the full 20 years! They are a couple of selfish gouls. And I hope the family successfully sues the crap out of the city for not enforcing its own laws.
Did the criminals take the stand? Was the wife’s long news interview containing her very incriminating non-apology used as evidence against them? I know it got her arrested.
No, she did not take the stand. We did watch her interview with homicide police that was scrutinized last week (https://youtu.be/iBf4uPp0IFo?si=IDK9k5inG0T39KYe). We have seen most of Day 2 testimony, but we still need to go through Day 1. It’s raw footage, not broken down into parts/chapters. There were also hearings leading up to last week’s punishment phase and evidence placed on the record that we have no access too. Since the couple pleaded guilty in August, one must assume “the wife’s long news interview containing her very incriminating non-apology used as evidence against them” already came into play. At 1:30 pm today (30 minutes from now), the sentencing will begin. Watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlXwzlTRng
Great article, Colleen. I didn’t know about the feces-smeared floors, the cursing sign they posted in front of their house, or even that the whale had killed multiple people.
Society would be better without these two in it.
If they get the 20, I feel sorry for the people working at the prison that will hold them.
Not going to be an easy job because I predict that those prison workers will get a lot of abuse.
It’s likely they’ll be model prisoners. Because these clowns will submit to the alpha dogs and those that hold their leash.
They clearly submitted to their own dogs’ outrageous behaviours.
Judge orders: 18 years in prison for Christian Moreno and 15 years for Abilene Schnieder. Neither can own dogs during parole term. The Victim Impact statements are starting now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlXwzlTRng
really unlikeable people too they deserve it , something way off with that house too
I really loathe Christian Moreno. Especially when he throws the gang sign right after his sentencing. You can see it at 4min 53 seconds in this video.
https://youtu.be/D_soIskUqg0?t=293
All I could think was, What the heck, if I were the Judge and saw him do that I’d give him the other two years just for being so disrespectful of the court. No doubt about that.
I suspect that was the letter L for “I love you” sent to his family.
This post has been updated with the ruling.
I love the sign these folks put up. It shows their real belief in civilization. Their respect or lack thereof of government, law, and order is impressive. That sign
showed their lack of respect for the legal system.
Let’s penalize others equally harshly for owning killer dogs while not keeping the public safe. Allowing a dog to maul/kill should be treated like this. When precedents of imprisonment for such attacks are on the books, more judges will feel comfortable
sentencing others this way. This could affect the revolving door in shelters as far as pitbull placement is concerned.
While I’m anti-authoritarian what staggers me is their complete anti-social behavior towards their *neighbours*.
There’s plenty of reasons to not like police/courts/legal system for the many injustices committed but there’s no reason to treat your neighbours, who have the right to a modicum of safety in their own community.
Purely selfish.
Thanks to you Dogs Bite dot Org. You are helping to turn the tide.
Wow!! This is huge! 18 and 15 yrs! Is this the most jail time any owner of a killer dog has gotten?? This should make other pit owners take notice.
It certainly is the most jail time for any dog owners in the state of Texas, under the state felony dog attack law. The fatal dog mauling of the 21st Century, the death of Diane Whipple in 2001, resulted in a Murder 2 conviction that was overturned by the courts then reinstated (Marjorie Knoller was also convicted and served time for involuntary manslaughter, a charge that was not contested). Knoller was sentenced from 15 years to life for Murder 2. Her parole was denied in 2019 and 2023. She will be eligible again in 2026. During of the appeals process, Knoller was out of prison for several years. By 2023, Knoller had served 17 years in prison (separated by four years of freedom). 18 and 15-year sentences are truly rare. Both dog owners will be eligible for parole once 1/4 of their sentence is complete. That’s 3.75 years for Abilene, assuming she behaves.
That scarring pattern is typical of organized dogfighting. Is this what the prosecutor was alluding to when he questioned the source of the dogs’ bail money?
I wonder – the prosecutor’s insinuation was vague. The dogs’ bail money came from one of the criminals’ enabling parents, as did the house they lived in.
Thank you for all the info Colleen. I didn’t know the woman owner in Diane Whipple’s murder got that much time.
lets hope they put them in one of the real posh texas prisons with no air conditioning
The judge found it difficult to believe the testimony of ACS, who said that none of the previous victims came forward to sign an affidavit to have the dogs declared dangerous. It sounds believable to me, as we know that San Antonio ACS would fail to tell people about that required affidavit. It is far too difficult to get dangerous dogs removed from communities, imo.
I am happy about the sentences. I wonder if the husband ever did speak to the police, and whether their sentences would have been lighter if his wife had kept her big mouth shut.
Their sign they put up outside their house told the world what kind of people they are. There are certainly court rulings that are wrong. However, that sign gave everyone the wrong impression.
Society has to take back our neighborhoods. It’s become risky to take your dog for a walk, go jogging or cycling, or let your kids run about. This macho mindset of owning a lethal dog – one originally bred for fighting, and then failing to control it has to be addressed. Making examples of such negligent owners through arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment may be the only way to stop these attacks, especially considering the indifference displayed here by Moreno and Schneider.
WOW! It’s about time, people are doing time for these dogs. I wish we could have laws like this in NY. There are 2 pitts in my neighborhood, they were loose and attacked horses. A police officer who trained search,drug and do police work for many years was attacked. The pitt, was sitting next to her and out of nowhere,it attacked leaving permanent nerve loose to her arm. This happened at a animal shelter. Prior to that someone adopted a pitt attacked a child in the face. Neither person could not sue since the shelter was run by donations. Nothing was done! I feel this breed should be banned all over the country. Sorry to vent, but I’m happy that at least one state is waking up
You know what I find odd?
Dog trainers, boarding kennels, groomers, pet daycares and dog walkers in most places, because they deal with more than three dogs at a time, must have liability insurance in case of lawsuits.
Why do shelters/rescues seem to dodge this liability? If some had it, wouldn’t the insurance company be charging them an exorbitant amount for each pitbull since statistics bear out that these are the most dangerous dogs whose behaviors are most likely to end in a lawsuit?
Am I missing something, here?
Mrs. Najera’s federal lawsuit against the shelter is ongoing and I look forward to news… and answers.
I suspect being part of the government most shelters have immunity.
As more and more communities farm out care of animals to “rescues” I would hope they would loose that immunity.
BSL, Breed Specific Litigation is one of the few weapons we have against the fighting dog menace.
The lawsuit would have been thrown out if the shelter had immunity, wouldn’t it? Maybe that’s why it has to be a federal case. An enforced ban on fighting breeds would prevent a lot of heartache. American society is a loose “anything goes” culture right now but the pendulum can swing quickly back to being a tight culture – see “Rule Makers, Rule Breakers” by Michele Gelfand.
Yes, in Texas it would have been thrown out for immunity (unless they could show extreme negligence). The federal filing is about the city violating his Constitutional rights. Consider that lawsuits against police departments often take this route after a wrongful death or police K9 mauling, but those federal lawsuits also deal with excessive force. (https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/lawsuit-covington-police-dog-mauled-innocent-man-in-case-of-mistaken-identity-in-2022) The question in our mind is how far can the case advance into Discovery before being dismissed? The plaintiffs could find very damaging material during Discovery.
Thank you so much for the vital work that you are doing to protect the public interest! I agree with the sentiment that it’s also on the City of Antonio. They had plenty of opportunities to protect the public interest, and they *chose* not to do so. This indeed is negligence.
It would be awesome if you had a section on your website that chronologizes the cases where the dog owners were found guilty of a crime, and sentenced. To have all of this in one place would be a useful data field for individuals and governmental bodies to use as they consider the risks they take in possessing, or allowing people to possess, an aggressive dog. Some “dog people” like to claim that it’s the owner’s fault alone, that genetics plays no role. So, if it’s the owner’s responsibility, then the owners should be found guilty of assault and/or homicide if their dog commits these actions. Might change a few minds. Insurance companies should take it into account when they decide who to cover and what to charge for a premium. Local governmental bodies should take it into account when considering their liability.
good tutorial in how to let pit bulls ruin your life
We do have state felony dog attack laws online: https://www.dogsbite.org/legislating-dangerous-dogs-felony-dog-attack-laws.php
Those dogs look like they are used in dog fights and betting…The owners by the looks they gave in court are very brain damaged people…very anti social…not capable of feelings of any kind….any feelings they may get is from watching others suffer ….
What a non-logical comparison of a domestic pet to a wild animal, shows how ridiculous these aggro dog owners are.
Whenever the scarring is mostly located on the dogs face/front, it means that dog had the better grip and controlled the attack. I see it often on pound dogs and the dog almost always has other troubling dog aggression signs vs a dog with scarring on its rear body.
As a Texan, I’m glad this victim found justice.
Do you think their sign influenced the judges’
sentencing?
Hard to tell. But prosecution certainly presented a totality of information, specifically regarding the “negligence timeline.” The sign showed additional “mindset”, which does matter in a criminal prosecution. What if the sign had said, “SORRY neighbors! We are working on fixing our fence so that our dogs no longer escape! Please leave us alone!” But that isn’t what the sign read, is it? The sign showed their “mindset” at the time.
What a relief! Finally a judge doing what they are paid to do: Protect the general public from abuse.
Not a solution, though. Because only prevention will solve the problem of maulings and deaths.
Sorry for all the dog aggression victims out there in the world and in my own family.
Thank you Colleen for the good work you do.