Neighbors call it “The Devil House.”
On Friday night, Bexar County sheriff’s deputies arrested more than a dozen people at a house on Bronze Sand Road in west Bexar County. They’re accused of sacrificing animals.
“It was unbelievable until I heard the animals baa-ing,” one neighbor said about a quiet Friday night that turned into chaos. “I drove by them, parked, went into my house for maybe five minutes and when I came out, there was, like, sheriff cars everywhere.”
Deputies found 11 people in the garage, along with several dead and living animals.
“It was some sort of ritual going on there,” said Sgt. Elizabeth Gonzalez with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. “That was apparent to the investigators and the deputies. We don’t know exactly what that was.”
Neighbors reportedly saw several people sacrificing animals with knives. All 11 people were arrested and charged with cruelty to livestock animals.
“It kind of looked like a family,” a neighbor said. “They were like smiling and laughing, sitting in their garage.”
On Saturday, neighbors said that they believed some people involved have already returned home after seeing cars parked in the driveway.
They’re more suspicious than ever.
Among the 11 people arrested are Roberto Talamantez (55), Irma Talamantez (64), Cynthia Martinez (29), Ramon Patino Jr. (65), Marie Murica (65), Alexander Campos (23), Ivan Gonzalez (24), Carmen Gonzalez-Trujillo (57), Luis Rodriguez-Ortiz (40), Ariel Torres Arteaga (39), and Liza Mercado (46).
BCSO released mug shots for six of those arrested, including:
29-year-old Cynthia Martinez
23-year-old Alexander Campos
65-year-old Ramon Patino
55-year-old Roberto Talamantez
64-year-old Irma Talamantez
And 65-year-old Marie Murica
24-year-old Ivan Gonzalez
57-year-old Carmen Maria Gonzalez-Trujillo
40-year-old Luis Rodriguez-Ortiz
39-year-old Ariel Torres Arteaga
46-year-old Liza Mercado
