A Texas man has been arrested and charged in the fatal shooting of a mother of four who was killed during a road rage confrontation in San Antonio three weeks ago.
Nicholas Hernandez, 24, was taken into custody Thursday in connection to the killing of 31-year-old Julie Marie Butcher.
The mother of four crashed her car around 9:30 p.m. on November 8 after being shot in the head while she was driving on Interstate 35, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KSAT.
An eyewitness reported seeing a man, later identified as Hernandez, drive up next to Butcher’s vehicle in a silver and blue Volkswagen Jetta and open fire before speeding off. Surveillance footage also captured the vehicle’s description.
Butcher’s car crashed into a ditch, where police found her body.
Two days later, an anonymous tipster claimed Hernandez had admitted to a friend that he was responsible for the shooting. Text messages corroborated this lead, according to the affidavit. It’s unclear what led to the shooting.
It was later revealed that Hernandez had filed a robbery report with the San Antonio Police Department just 15 hours after Butcher’s murder.
He claimed that while he was playing basketball on November 6, someone stole his Beretta 9mm handgun, duffle bag and an orange Spalding “Evolution” basketball.
Police searched Hernandez’s home and found some of the “stolen” items, including an orange basketball and a black duffle bag. They also seized Hernandez’s Volkswagen Jetta, which police said matched the description of the vehicle that witnesses saw fleeing the scene after the shooting.
Another witness came forward to police and claimed that Hernandez had called her around the time of the shooting and confessed. Their conversation was confirmed through phone records, which also confirmed that Hernandez was in the area at the time of the incident.
A fourth witness told police that Hernandez had called him the night of the shooting and asked him to dispose of two 9mm shell casings, according to the affidavit.
Hernandez was arrested on November 27 and charged with murder. He remains in custody at the Bexar County Jail.
Shortly after the arrest of Hernandez, the victim’s family released a statement.
“This Thanksgiving, our family is profoundly grateful for the progress toward justice for Julie Marie Butcher. We have been informed that an arrest has been made in connection with her murder, marking an important step forward in this difficult journey.
While the pain of her loss is still with us, we take comfort in the dedication of law enforcement and the overwhelming support from our community. Your prayers, kindness, and solidarity have been a source of strength for us.”
Julie’s life was a gift, and we honor her memory by continuing to seek peace and healing. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we move forward in the pursuit of justice.”
A GoFundMe was started to raise money to pay for Butcher’s funeral arrangements and to help with expenses for her husband and four children.
Butcher was a “dedicated General Manager at Papa John’s in New Braunfels, admired for her strong work ethic and commitment to her job,” according to the campaign, which has raised just over $9,000 out of their 10,000 goal as of Sunday.
“While our hearts ache with her passing, knowing that she was loved by so many brings us some peace,” an updated post read.
“Your generosity is helping us honor her memory in a way that reflects the warmth and love she brought to the world.”
