SAN ANTONIO — A mother and daughter sat just outside the barrier of yellow police tape as Terrell Hills police combed the scene where their loved one was found shot to death.
“We want justice. We want to know what happened,” said Irene Longoria, mother of the fatal shooting victim, 33-year-old April Longoria.
San Antonio police officers first arrived at the apartment complex at 2005 Harry Wurzbach early Thursday morning where they discovered April’s body inside the residence.
Multiple people were inside the apartment at the time of the shooting, according to authorities.
“The two witnesses that we are talking to right now were inside the apartment, and the two persons of interest were in the apartment we understand, but left, so obviously we’d like to talk to them to figure out what they know,” said Terrell Hills Police Chief Roger Mangum.
An affidavit obtained by KENS 5 on Friday provides more details following the ones listed above.
Witnesses say 34-year-old Maria Antoinette Nealy was "playing" with a gun earlier that night inside of the apartment when she fired a round that traveled through a portion of a wall and struck Longoria in the chest, according to the affidavit. Nealy would then leave the scene moments after the shooting outside of a back door prior to being arrested that night, according to the release.
In a cell phone search between one of the witnesses and Nealy, the affidavit states investigators found Facebook messages between the hours of 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. on that day from Nealy, apologizing, saying, "I'm so sorry this was all an accident" and "I didn't mean for any of that to happen."
According to the affidavit, Nealy is a convicted felon and has an active warrant for a parole violation stemming from smuggling of illegal aliens offense. The law states that convicted felons are prohibited from possessing or handling firearms.
Nealy is facing charges of committing the offense of Felony Murder by handlining a gun in a negligent manner resulting in the death of Longoria.
Following the incident, Police Chief Roger Mangum stressed there was no active threat to the general public.
April’s sister Toni Abrams believed one of the witnesses had key knowledge that could lead to finding out answers. This individual is someone Abrams said April grew to know while working at Little Caesar’s.
“He was falling on hard times and she moved him into the house with her into the apartment to help him out,” Abrams said. “I just want him to speak up, do her a favor and bring it to justice.”
April is being remembered as a bright light who trusted everybody and aspired to become a DJ. A mother and daughter are still coming to the realization that April Longoria is never coming home.
“I’m not going to be able to hold her, kiss her, talk to her,” Irene Longoria said.
“She was a fun-loving person who cared about everybody, who would give you the shirt off her back,” Abrams said.