Texas murder suspect attacked by victim’s family inside courtroom after gesturing to them: report

The family of a murdered Texas teen brutally attacked the alleged killer and ignited a massive brawl during a court hearing in San Antonio.

Victor Nathaneal Rivas, 18, was awaiting his appearance for his murder trial in the May 2022 shooting death of 15-year-old Ethan Soto when chaos unfolded inside the courtroom.

Rivas then made a gesture toward Soto’s grieving relatives in the gallery, according to the San Antonio Express.

One of Soto’s male relatives jumped the railing and began beating the accused murderer before three others joined the fracas that lasted more than 30 seconds.

The melee happened in front of a bench full of other inmates as two court bailiffs rushed in to separate the brawl, video obtained by KSAT shows.

Court officers cleared the gallery and removed the inmates from the courtroom when Soto’s family and Rivas were separated.

Rivas only suffered minor injuries.

“He is going to be bruised and swollen,” Rivas’ attorney Adam La Hood told the San Antonio Express.

One of Soto’s male relatives then jumped the railing and began beating the accused murderer before three others joined the fracas that lasted at least 30 seconds.KSAT 12
The melee happened in front of a bench full of other inmates as two court bailiffs rushed in to separate the brawl.KSAT 12

The four relatives — two men and two teenagers —were arrested and charged with assault and disruption of court proceedings.

Rivas is accused of killing Soto as an act of revenge for when the younger teen allegedly robbed THC cartridges from Rivas, according to KSAT citing an arrest affidavit.

Rivas, outraged by the robbery, allegedly shot at Soto and his family’s home, but the 15-year-old was not injured in that shooting.

The four relatives — two men and two teenagers —were arrested and charged with assault and disruption of court proceedings.KSAT 12
Court officers cleared the gallery and removed the inmates from the courtroom when Soto’s family and Rivas were separated. KSAT 12

In an attempt to calm the situation between the teens, Soto’s mother met up with Rivas to pay for the stolen cartridges, an interaction Rivas has denied, according to the TV station.

Rivas then reached out to an underage girl on Instagram and asked for her to set up a drug deal with Soto and “stated several times that he was looking for the person who robbed him and was going to ‘catch’ him when he saw him,” the affidavit stated.

The girl and Soto arranged to meet up for a drug deal involving the stolen cartridges before Soto was ambushed by Rivas, the outlet said.

Soto was shot multiple times and was rushed to a hospital where he later died.

Following the brawl, a woman was handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom by bailiffs.KSAT 12

Last week, another Texas courtroom brawl broke out when an accused killer also gestured toward his victim’s family.

Frank DeLeon Jr. reportedly laughed at the mother of his alleged murder victim, ex-girlfriend Diamond Alvarez, when she gave her testimony.

Alvarez’s mother, Anna Machado, walked off the stand and headed straight for DeLeon before being stopped by a bailiff, leading to Alvarez’s uncle rushing and punching the defendant.