Press Release from the Office of the Distirct Attorney of Val Verde, Kinney and Terrell counties
Hector Muniz, age 53, will serve a life sentence handed down
by a local 12-person jury after a multi-day trial in the 83rd District
Court of Val Verde County, Texas. Concluding with one hour of
deliberation in both guilt innocence phase and sentencing, the jury
found Muniz guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of two children and
Indecency with a Child.
Crimes against children of this nature are one of the most
heinous crimes committed within our society and District Attorney
Suzanne West and her team are committed to putting these individuals behind bars. Cooperation
between law enforcement and our office continues to grow and will continue to be an effective tool
in prosecuting these criminals.
The State’s case was presented by Assistant District Attorney Daniel Esquivel, assisted by
Investigator Bruce Henderson and Victim’s Assistance Coordinator Debra Garcia. ADA Esquivel
wishes to especially thank the jury for communicating with this verdict that predators of children will
not be tolerated in our community.
Continuous Sexual Abuse is a relatively new offense that is considered an “umbrella” crime
proven with various versions of sex offenses against one or more victims under the age of 14 that
occur over a time period of 30 days. In most of these cases, children make delayed outcries days,
months, and as here—years after the offense. This defendant was a beloved member of an extended
family who used his position of trust and access to groom and manipulate two children, starting as
early as second grade and continuing until teen years, when another child in the family informed adults
of inappropriate text messaging—and in so doing exposed a relationship that included years of
repeated sexual assaults.
Brave survivors carry the weight of justice on their shoulders, and without their stories, tears,
patience and cooperation, we would never be able to address this evil. This Office sincerely thanks
our witnesses and their families who juggled schedules and travel to make this trial happen.
The prosecution also thanks the following for required preparation and testimony provided
by Lt. Julian Ramos of the Del Rio Police Department CID Division, Lt. Gina Garcia of the Val Verde
County Sheriff’s Office, Doctor Lora Spillar and Nurse Annette Santos of Children’s Hospital of San
Antonio, and Raymond and Ronzina Adauto, two retired DRPD officers.
