'I knew I killed him': Man beats victim to death with baseball bat, gets caught by surveillance footage from house where he was sleeping, police say

A Texas antheral is down bars aft telling radical helium killed different antheral with a baseball bat, instrumentality enforcement officials successful the Lone Star State say.

Victor Sigala, 51, stands accused of first-degree murder, according to the San Antonio Police Department. The incidental occurred May 8, erstwhile 39-year-old Eric Perez was recovered beaten to decease successful an abandoned residence connected Prairie Hill Street successful acold southwest San Antonio.

The unfortunate was beaten truthful severely that it initially appeared helium had been changeable successful the head, according to a constabulary study obtained by section ABC affiliate KSAT. A neighbour called 911 connected the time of the alleged onslaught due to the fact that they believed idiosyncratic wrong whitethorn person been shot, constabulary said.

Arriving officers performed a protective expanse and recovered a "pool of blood" adjacent the presumed gunshot victim. Perez was recovered dormant astatine the country with terrible trauma to the backmost of his head.

Investigators aboriginal learned helium had been beaten to death.

While investigating the extracurricular area, constabulary were approached by a neighbour who lives crossed the street, according to an apprehension affidavit obtained by KSAT. The neighbor, who had "visible facial injuries," said helium and Perez had been successful an "altercation" earlier that aforesaid day.

Police past obtained a warrant for the neighbor's location and seized surveillance footage from cameras facing wherever Perez was killed. While inside, investigators besides noticed Sigala asleep, constabulary said. The suspect allegedly spoke erstwhile roused, but his evident archetypal words to instrumentality enforcement are redacted from the affidavit.

Investigators yet pored implicit the surveillance footage and saw that 3 masked men entered the residence successful the moments conscionable earlier Perez was killed, constabulary said. Then the men left.

As the men leave, however, 1 antheral is seen removing his mask, the footage allegedly shows. Police identified that antheral arsenic Sigala. In the footage, the antheral identified arsenic the suspect is seen arriving and leaving with an aluminum shot bat, according to instrumentality enforcement.

A witnesser came guardant who identified himself arsenic a "close friend" of Sigala and who said helium spoke with him the nighttime Perez was killed.

"I deed him with a bat," the suspect allegedly told his friend. "He wasn't moving."

Another witnesser — who said they had known Sigala for astir 30 years — besides came guardant and told constabulary that they spoke with the suspect a fewer days aft the unit portion astatine a park.

"I deed him first," Sigala allegedly told the longtime friend. "I knew I killed him."

The suspect besides told the 2nd witnesser different idiosyncratic deed Perez with a metallic rod and yet different kicked him during the attack. Law enforcement has yet to place the different 2 individuals believed to person been progressive successful the fatal attack.

On Monday, Sigala was arrested and is presently detained successful the Bexar County Jail connected $250,000 bond, tribunal records show.