Man allegedly says he will go back to prison before murder- Steve Gonzales Rocco, a 65-year-old man from Texas, allegedly boasted about his criminal record while committing a murder, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Rocco is accused of shooting and killing Darryl Glynn Byrd, 60, during an argument over a woman at an apartment on March 23, 2024.
The incident reportedly escalated when Rocco, who had a gun in a holster, began motioning for it as the argument progressed. Byrd was unarmed and put his hands up, but Rocco shot him five times in close range. As the shots rang out, Rocco reportedly made a sanguine statement about heading back to prison, indicating his nonchalance about the situation and his past criminal history.
Byrd died from multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest. The woman involved in the argument reportedly had no expression on her face as the victim died, and another witness in the apartment stood still in the kitchen as the fourth witness took the opportunity to leave the bloody scene. Rocco was arrested and booked into the Bexar County Jail on $150,000 bail. His criminal charges date back to 1983, and an indictment in the case is pending.
The incident occurred at a residence on East Southcross Boulevard. By the time officers responded to multiple calls about the in-progress shooting, Byrd was dead, and Rocco had fled the scene. The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and there were apparent shell casings found inside the apartment near the victim.
Two witnesses at the scene allegedly gave limited statements to detectives, while a third witness, who had been at the apartment earlier in the day but left before the violence, identified a fourth witness who would prove pivotal in the case. The fourth witness relayed that Rocco showed up at the apartment unannounced, knocked on the door, entered, and immediately began to quarrel with Byrd about taking the unidentified woman “out for the night”.
Rocco’s alleged statement about his criminal record and his nonchalance about heading back to prison highlight the gravity of the situation and the potential implications for his future. The case underscores the serious consequences of violent crimes and the impact they can have on individuals and their communities.
