Christopher Michael Alderete, a 25-year-old Hispanic man from San Antonio, Texas, was a talented vocalist and a father to two children. Known to friends by his street name, "Icon," he was described as funny, outgoing, and supportive. His life was cut short in the early hours of June 15, 2020.
Around 3 a.m., Alderete and a female passenger were asleep in his car, parked in an alley on West Ridgewood Court near Blanco Road. They were awakened by a man, later identified as 23-year-old Fabian Jay Hernandez, knocking on the driver's side window. Hernandez asked if a person named "Brandy" was in the car. When Alderete said no, Hernandez asked for his name. Alderete first replied, "Chris," and when asked again, he gave his street name, "Icon." At that point, Hernandez pulled out a handgun and shot Alderete once in the face.
Alderete was pronounced dead at the scene.
As his passenger jumped out of the car to find help, she saw Hernandez get into a white vehicle and open fire on her. She managed to escape without injury and called 911.
The investigation moved quickly, aided by two key witnesses. Alderete's passenger provided a detailed account of the shooting. A second woman, who had been with Hernandez in a stolen car that night, also told police she saw him fire his handgun. Hernandez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Alderete’s mother, Norma Andrews, said the arrest brought her family some peace but that the healing could not begin until a trial. “I’m not supposed to be burying my child,” she said. “He wasn’t ready to go.”
A year after the shooting, police arrested a second suspect, Venus Ursula Flores. Flores had been dating Alderete, and court records revealed that the night before his death, she told him she was pregnant, leading to an argument during which her 9mm handgun was discharged at her home. Investigators determined that Flores owned the gun used to kill Alderete and had hidden it after the murder. She was charged with murder.
The case is now closed. Fabian Jay Hernandez accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. In early 2024, Venus Flores also entered into a plea agreement. She pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. As part of her plea, a charge of tampering with evidence was dropped. Flores must serve at least half of her sentence before she is eligible for parole.
