18 Years: The Sentence for the Driver in a Fatal San Antonio Shoe Deal
Diego Salazar received a reduced sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery in the 2024 death of Ricky De Los Santos.
By Luana Sato ·
The disparity in punishment between the shooter and his driver in a 2024 San Antonio killing illustrates the specific legal calculus applied to juvenile defendants in Texas. On Nov. 4, Diego Salazar was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of Ricky De Los Santos.
Salazar was 17 when he drove Daniel Hernandez to De Los Santos' home in the 2000 block of South Loop 1604 eastbound in April 2024. He pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, a move that resulted in the original murder charge being dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that Hernandez went to the residence to purchase shoes but instead used a Draco AK-47 to kill De Los Santos. The two men had been close friends since childhood. Sheriff Salazar noted that De Los Santos provided Hernandez's name to deputies during his final moments alive.
The case highlights the procedural shift from a murder trial to a robbery conviction for the driver. Hernandez, the shooter, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in October, creating a 12-year gap between the sentences of the two men involved in the incident.
