Jury Trial Begins for Man Involved in Whiskey River Saloon Stabbing

SAN ANGELO, TX — A jury trial for a man involved in the Whiskey River Saloon stabbing has begun.

Julian Suarez, 47, was one of the men allegedly involved in the fight at Whiskey River Saloon where U.S. Marine Bryce Rudisell was stabbed to death by Ray Vera.

Vera was sentenced to life in prison in April 2024.

According to court documents, on Oct. 2, 2022, investigators responded to a stabbing call at Whiskey River Saloon, 125 East Concho Dr., in downtown San Angelo. A sergeant with the San Angelo Police Department informed the investigator about the incident. Broken glass and suspected blood spatter were observed in the parking lot of the bar.

The sergeant said there were multiple stabbing victims who were triaged in the parking lot and then transported to Shannon Medical Center for emergency medical treatment.

The owner of Whiskey River Saloon accessed video surveillance of the bar, and a large fight was observed on the video. The fight was broken up by bar staff, but another fight was taking place outside.

In the footage, the victim was seen leaving the bar when another individual approached him from behind and hit him with an object. The object used to assault the victim shattered into smaller pieces. The victim said that he was hit in the back of the head with a beer mug. After he was hit in the head, the victim said that the man sliced him on the finger and stabbed him in the arm with the broken mug.

The man who hit the victim was identified as Suarez.

Suarez was arrested on Oct. 5, 2022, and was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. He was indicted in December 2022 and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.