SAN ANGELO, TX — A Marine who was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base is dead following a fight at a bar in San Angelo’s popular downtown district.
According to witnesses that night, at least three ambulances were dispatched to the parking lot of the Whiskey River Bar, 125 E. Concho Ave.
Police said that upon their arrival at the fight scene at around 1 a.m. this morning, they were told that multiple people had been stabbed. Police then found a 28-year-old with multiple stab wounds. He was rushed to nearby Shannon Medical Center in critical condition. There were other stab victims as well, police said.
The police department’s initial investigation, which included having the Criminal Investigation Division comb the scene for evidence, revealed that a verbal altercation that started inside the Whiskey River Saloon was carried outside where it became physical. Eyewitnesses at the bar that night said the altercation was between a group of Goodfellow AFB military personnel and some locals.
Police said all stabbing victims were stationed at Goodfellow AFB and the victim police identified early on as in particularly bad shape, the 28-year-old male, died at Shannon.
Police CID identified one suspect named Ray Vera, 40, of San Angelo, and police charged him with murder. He was booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center this afternoon at 3:28 p.m. He is charged with murder, expired registration on his vehicle, driving a motorcycle without endorsement, no insurance, and a failure to show up in court on a previous charge.
County online records show his bond set at $2,409.00 for the lesser charges. He is being held without bond for the murder charge, which will be set by a judge likely on Monday.
The identity of the victims is withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
The Whiskey River Saloon changed hands about two years ago. Since new management took over, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission reports no violations or allegations of violations of its liquor license.
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Update 5 p.m.: We have confirmed the deceased was a U.S. Marine. Update 8:30 p.m. no bond is set for the murder charge so technically he is being held without bond until a judge sets the amount. The story was updated.
Whiskey River Saloon parking lot where a Goodfellow AFB soldier was stabbed early Sunday Morning, October 2, 2022
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Let me make sure I understand what has happened here. A bar fight turned into a fatal stabbing of one of the participants. The person responsible was charged with murder and assessed a bond of a bit over 2400 bucks. Chump change. This person was also charged with other crimes of infinitely less significance, and the fact these charges were even listed inserts a level of silliness into the story of a violent crime.
A person was killed.
I have mentioned my crack-addicted stepson. He was arrested one night at our house because of a non-violent crime he committed. His bond was 50K... for a non-violent crime, that being burglary of a business. Yes, he did the crime, but no one was physically harmed. Yet his bond was set at 50k, and in the case described here someone died. As an aside, I bailed my stepson out but I will not do it again.
Either the story was incorrectly reported or something is extremely wrong with the way the system works in San Angelo. I would really like to know which is the case here or whether my logic of what is appropriate in situations like this is flawed.
I say again: A person was killed.
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PermalinkWelcome to syringe-a-lo. Where the men are men and the sheep are scared. They put pedophiles on probation around these here parts, and they don't mind if you kill someone on occasion. They'll even let you post bond on some of the most hideous crimes known to man as long as our guvnah keeps her wallet fat. There is no end in sight and to think that our town is any different than any of the other shit hole cities in America right now is naive to say the least.
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PermalinkIf you had read and understood this article properly you would have known that it mentioned no bond has been set for the “murder” charge yet. Only for much smaller offences like no insurance, riding a motorcycle without a motorcycle license, etc. etc.
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PermalinkMea culpa.
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PermalinkReread the story. The lessor bond charge was for other charges, he has not had a bond listed for the murder charge as of yet. Being held with no bond right now.
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