(This story was updated to add new information.)
The charge against a Wichita Falls man suspected of killing his girlfriend has been upgraded and his bail has been increased.
Matison Preville was arrested June 19 in connection with the death of Keren Martinez Ballesteros, whose body was found in a field near the Cashion community earlier that day.
Suspects are considered innocent unless convicted beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Preville was orginially charged with murder and had bail set at $1 million, but a new arrest affidavit filed on June 20 accuses him of capital murder and his bail has been increased to $3 million, according to Wichita County Jail online records.
A person convicted of capital murder in Texas can be sentenced to death or mandatory life in prison.
The new affidavit alleged Preville had kidnapped Ballesteros prior to shooting her to death, thus enhancing the charge.
Wichita Falls police investigator Hayden King wrote in the affidavit: “Matison picked up Keren under false pretenses/deception to take her and murder her. Matison secreted her in both his vehicle and the field, which were locations where she was not likely to be found. The evidence demonstrates Keren was restrained through deception, Matison used ruse to transport her to an area to murder her. Further, kidnapping is aggravated when Matison has the intent to ‘facilitate the commission of felony.’ So, Matison committed aggravated kidnapping to facilitate Keren’s murder.”
The affidavit says Ballesteros’ autopsy showed two gunshot wounds from a shotgun, one to the torso and one to the head. It also says during a search of Preville’s apartment, clothing was recovered that had stains consistent with blood.
Police wrote in the initial arrest warrant affidavit that a friend reported Ballesteros missing June 14 after not hearing from her since the previous Saturday when she was supposed to go to Preville’s home at the Mustang Village Apartments in the 5000 block of Lake Park Drive.
The affidavit said police searched Preville’s apartment, where he told them Ballesteros was his ex-girlfriend and that he had last seen her the previous Thursday but had been trying to text her since Saturday.
During the investigation, the concerned friend who reported Ballesteros missing told police that she might be pregnant. Wichita Falls Police Department Sgt. Brett Keith on Monday said autopsy results showed she was not pregnant.
Some video surveillance showed someone getting into Preville’s vehicle, according to the affidavit. Records of Ballesteros’ cell phone data obtained by police showed the phone moved around Wichita Falls on Saturday before staying in one spot in a large field near Cashion Road and Carriage Lane on the north edge of Wichita Falls.
Investigators found Ballesteros’ body in the field.
Investigators also got Preville’s cell phone data, which indicated it had traveled the same route as Ballesteros’ phone, according to the affidavit.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Officials upgrade charge against Wichita Falls man suspected of killing ex-girlfriend
Reporting by Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
