SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County jury has found Cristan Villalobos guilty of murdering Robert Wellington in a February 2024 shooting on the city’s Northwest Side.

The conviction came during a recent trial in the 226th District Court, presided over by Judge Benjamin Robertson. Villalobos was sentenced to 38 years and six months in prison, according to a press release from the Office of Bexar County Criminal District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales.

Wellington was shot and killed on W. Ridgewood Ct., prompting a homicide investigation by the San Antonio Police Department. Prosecutors said investigators used witness accounts, surveillance footage, forensic evidence — including DNA, gunshot residue and ballistic analysis — and digital data to connect Villalobos to the killing.

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The release said evidence showed Villalobos and Bobby Mercado Jr. fled the scene in a stolen vehicle after the shooting. Mercado was arrested shortly afterward at a nearby bus stop with narcotics in his possession and was later linked to the crime through witness descriptions, surveillance footage and forensic evidence. The same evidence, along with what prosecutors described as a voluntary interview by Villalobos, later led to Villalobos’ arrest.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Raul Jordan, Nicholas Mahrou and Mia Carranza led the prosecution, with support from Victim Advocate Brandy Jimenez and Investigator Jorge Felan, the release said.

“The jury’s verdict and conviction reflect the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors who worked to uncover the truth and effectively present the evidence in the case,” Gonzales said. “While nothing can undo the loss of a loved one, we hope this sentence provides Robert’s family with a sense of peace and closure.”