Texas lawyer killed by wife in murder-suicide remembered as 'real warrior'

A Texas lawyer shot dead by his wife in a murder-suicide was remembered as a "real warrior" and an "inspiration" by his colleagues.

Jerry Hernandez, 61, and his wife Sonia Patricia Hernandez, 52, were found dead in their $1.6million mansion at the 100 block of Cinnamon Oak in Shavano Park in Bexar County, Texas, on Wednesday morning.

Authorities said Mr Hernandez's wife shot him several times before taking her own life. Police are following a definite line of inquiry and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting .

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The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Mr Hernandez's death as a homicide . His wife's death was ruled a suicide.

Mr Hernandez's colleagues said they are devastated by his sudden death. Personal injury lawyer Rudy Vasquez, who worked closely with Mr Hernandez, said: “It was like a gut punch. Jerry’s loss was like a profound loss on the lawyers that do the type of work that we do in San Antonio .

"It was very sudden and we lost a real warrior. He inspired a bunch of young lawyers. People would go to court to watch him.”

Mr Vasquez said he last spoke to Mr Hernandez three months ago when he asked for help with a case. He told KENS5 : “I was getting ready for a trial and he had just won a trial and I wanted to copy his notes and so I called him and a lot of lawyers don’t like to share but Jerry would always freely share the information or the tactics that he used.

"They always worked better for Jerry than they worked for me. But he was always willing to help anybody who would call him."

The San Antonio Bar Association said Mr Hernandez was a respected member of our legal community in Texas . It said: "It is with profound sadness and deep sympathy that we acknowledge the untimely passing of Jerry Hernandez, a respected member of our legal community.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Jerry’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. We extend our deepest sympathies and hope they find strength and solace in the cherished memories of a life well-lived."

Mr Hernandez was a personal injury lawyer with more than 30 years of experience. He obtained a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Texas in Austin in 1985 and earned his law degree from California Western School of Law in 1988.

He was named a top personal injury lawyer by SA Scene Magazine in 2017.