CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — One of three people still awaiting trial in connection with the 2016 killing of Breanna Wood is back in Nueces County.
Sandra Vasquez is charged with capital murder and engaging in organized criminal activity.
Visiting Judge J. Manuel Banales ordered Friday that Vasquez remains in the Nueces County Jail until trial for capital murder, which has been set from October 30 to November 17.
Vasquez was convicted in 2017 on a first-degree felony charge of intent to commit a burglary of a habitation and sentenced to serve 25 years in state jail. She returned to Nueces County on Thursday for Friday's hearing.
Lisa Greenberg, attorney for Vasquez, asked that Banales keep her in the Nueces County Jail and not return her to prison to allow her to prepare for trial.
Greenberg and co-counsel Adam Rodrigue added there was a detainer for Vasquez from Travis County for two pending misdemeanor cases and there was a concern she may be transferred to that county, rather than be returned to prison.
Greenberg is the third attorney to be appointed to defend Vasquez, she and Rodrigue were appointed after David Klein was elected 148th District Court Judge. She argued that allowing Vasquez to stay in the county would both allow her to prepare for trial, as well as save the county money.
"With voluminous information, we have several questions," Greenberg said. "I'm going to request as much (time) as possible. It's easier to drive to the courthouse and speak to her there."
And while the prosecution did not object to that request, they did ask that Vasquez be prohibited from communicating with Joseph Tejeda, who is charged with multiple felonies including capital murder in the killing of Wood.
Prosecutor James Haugh also asked that order be extended to Christopher Gonzalez had been apprehended for violations of parole and is expected to be transferred to the Nueces County Jail.
As KRIS 6 News has previously reported, Gonzalez was initially charged with capital murder but pleaded guilty to organized criminal activityin exchange for testifying in the Tejeda case and serving 10 years in prison.
Banales agreed to that order and advised Vasquez that she could not pass information from any person that visits her to Tejeda or Gonzalez.
In setting her case for trial, Haugh said that it was the state's intention to try Tejeda first, Vasquez second and Rosalinda Musella last. Musella is Tejeda's mother and charged with tampering with evidence.
Tejeda's case is set to go to trial on August 11.
