The Brief
- A federal jury convicted 31-year-old Sergio Renato Tapia of threatening to murder a National Park Service ranger in San Antonio.
- Tapia left a violent voicemail for the ranger following several prior citations for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
- The jury rejected an insanity defense after one hour of deliberation and a formal sentencing date has not yet been set.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – An Ecuadorian national in San Antonio was convicted by a federal jury for threatening to murder a government official.
Details of the threat at San Antonio Missions
What we know:
Court documents and evidence presented at trial around July 24, 2023, show 31-year-old Sergio Renato Tapia called the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and left a voicemail that included a violent threat to murder a National Park Service (NPS) ranger.
Investigation and arrest by U.S. Marshals
NPS rangers had previously encountered Tapia on numerous occasions at Mission Concepción, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to an active Catholic Church, citing him several times for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. NPS rangers immediately recognized Tapia’s voice and worked quickly with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend him on July 26, 2023.
Jury rejects insanity defense in federal court
The jury unanimously found Tapia guilty of intentionally communicating a threat to murder a federal official. Ultimately rejecting Tapia’s insanity defense after deliberating for one hour.
The NPS and USMS investigated the case.…