FBI agents testify about discovery of 5-year-old boy’s remains in trial of man accused in child’s death

Daniel Garcia is on trial on a charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury

SAN ANTONIO – Five FBI agents testified on Thursday about the crime scene where a 5-year-old boy’s remains were found in the trial of the man accused in his death.

Daniel Garcia is accused of fatally beating Domenic Aguilar-Acevedo in July 2021.

According to testimony by Domenic’s mother, Nickolle Aguilar, Garcia would punch Domenic in the face and stomach in a San Antonio hotel in July 2021.

Surveillance footage from the hotel showed Garcia carrying Domenic while he was unconscious out of a hotel staircase.

Garcia and Aguilar then went to Fraser, Colorado, and left the child’s remains in a ravine off a slope, according to testimony.

The two then fled to Costa Rica but were later arrested and charged with injury to a child.

FBI special agents told a jury Thursday that in August 2021 they rappelled down a slope to find Domenic’s remains, which were decomposed and partially buried.

The agents used DNA to identify the remains to ensure they were Domenic’s.

Aguilar has taken a plea deal in exchange for her testimony. The maximum punishment she can get is 15 years.

Garcia is facing a maximum punishment of up to life in prison if found guilty.

Testimony resumes around 9:30 a.m. Friday.


About the Authors

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.

Misael started at KSAT-TV as a photojournalist in 1987.

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