A routine stop for late-night food turned into a deadly encounter in Texas—one that has now ended with a decades-long prison sentence for the man responsible.
Roland Contreras, 35, has been sentenced to 50 years behind bars after being convicted in the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Gabrielle Felis Del Angel. The tragic incident, reported by local news outlets, unfolded outside a taco stand in San Antonio and has left a family devastated and a community shaken.
According to prosecutors, the events began on the evening of April 6, 2023, when Del Angel and her husband stopped at a taco truck along Southwest Military Drive. While her husband waited in line to order food, Del Angel remained in their Jeep nearby.
What should have been an ordinary moment quickly escalated. Authorities say Contreras approached the husband, pulled out a firearm, and began yelling at him. The confrontation prompted the husband to run back toward the vehicle, where Del Angel was waiting, in an attempt to leave the scene.
But the danger didn’t end there.
As the couple tried to drive away, Contreras allegedly pursued them and opened fire. One of the bullets struck Del Angel in the chest, causing a fatal injury. Despite her husband’s desperate efforts to get help—driving to a nearby gas station and calling for emergency assistance—she later died from her wounds.
Investigators believe Del Angel was not the intended target of the attack, making the tragedy even more senseless. Authorities say the husband later identified Contreras as the shooter, reportedly recognizing him due to a past connection involving an ex-girlfriend.
Video from the scene showed the aftermath of the shooting, including a visible bullet hole in the driver’s side window of the Jeep—evidence of how quickly the situation turned deadly.
Law enforcement launched an immediate search for Contreras following the shooting. Officers attempted to apprehend him at his home that same night, even deploying tear gas in an effort to flush him out. However, he was not found inside and managed to evade capture for several weeks before ultimately being arrested about a month later.
The case moved swiftly through the courts. Jurors took less than an hour to reach a guilty verdict, reflecting what prosecutors described as overwhelming evidence.
At sentencing, officials emphasized the broader impact of the crime. The district attorney’s office reiterated its commitment to holding violent offenders accountable and seeking justice for victims and their families.
For those who knew Gabrielle Felis Del Angel, the loss is deeply personal. She was a special education teacher and a mother of three, remembered by loved ones as compassionate and devoted to her children. Her obituary described her as someone who dedicated her life to caring for others—both in her family and in her profession.
Her death serves as a stark reminder of how quickly everyday moments can turn into tragedy—and how acts of violence can ripple far beyond their intended targets.
Now, with the sentencing complete, the focus shifts to remembrance and healing for a family left to navigate life without a mother, wife, and teacher whose life was cut tragically short.
