A San Antonio man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting his upstairs neighbor after a dispute over noise. State District Judge Kristina Escalona handed down the sentence Friday morning to 56-year-old David Grejtak for the killing of 44-year-old Lydia Morales on September 12, 2023.
In addition to his prison term, Grejtak was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $3,000 in restitution to Morales’ family. He must serve at least 15 years before he is eligible for parole. In July, a Bexar County jury found Grejtak guilty of murder following his second trial. The first trial had ended in a hung jury after lengthy deliberations.
Prosecutor Melissa Rust pushed for a sentence of no less than 45 years, but Judge Escalona said she considered Grejtak’s age and his status as an honorably discharged veteran in determining the 30-year sentence, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Morales lived in the apartment directly above Grejtak on the city’s Northwest Side. Testimony revealed that on the night of the shooting, Morales was hosting family. They were drinking and playing loud music when they heard a noise from Grejtak’s unit below. Interpreting it as a sign, they decided to leave.
As the group exited, prosecutors said Morales’ daughter’s boyfriend made a gesture toward Grejtak’s door peephole before sitting outside with his 2-year-old son to wait for her. Moments later, Grejtak came out of his apartment and confronted him, leading to a heated argument. During the dispute, Grejtak tripped and fell.
At that point, Morales and her daughter came outside. Prosecutors said they saw Grejtak on the ground with a gun. Morales stepped between him and her family. “All she can say is ‘what’s going on’ before the defendant shoots her,” prosecutor Jonathan Alvarado told the court. “He shoots her in the right side of her chest.”
Grejtak claimed he acted in self-defense. According to a San Antonio Police Department report, he told officers he believed Morales was about to stab him, saying he thought he saw something shiny in her hand. After sentencing, Morales’ mother said she felt some closure from the verdict. “He didn’t get away, we got justice… we can move forward,” she said.