SAN ANTONIO – The trial began on Monday against a man accused of opening fire at an apartment party and killing a teenage girl.

Nathaniel Melendez, 21, is charged with the murder of 16-year-old Evelyn Gumbardo.

In the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex near Ingram Road.

Upon arrival, officers found that three teenagers had been shot: Daniel Valdez and Catalina Farias, both 18, and Gumbardo. The two girls were discovered outside the apartment with multiple gunshot wounds. Gumbardo later succumbed to her injuries.

Farias later identified Melendez as the shooter, leading to his arrest just hours after the incident.

Melendez was charged with one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

In his opening statement, prosecutor Jonathan Alvarado described the events leading up to the shooting. Alvarado stated that Gumbardo and Farias noticed Melendez acting strangely before the incident. Alvarado argued that Melendez appeared to be under the influence when he began shooting without provocation.

Defense attorney Ron Ross did not dispute that Melendez was responsible for the shooting. However, he argued that the state could not prove that Melendez intentionally wanted to kill anyone and emphasized the importance of his awareness of the crime in the context of the prosecution.

“Consciousness is a critical factor,” Ross said. “We believe the evidence will show that he did not intentionally or knowingly cause this death.”

If convicted, Melendez could face life in prison. The trial is set to continue Tuesday in 379th District Court.