A video of his now-dead 5-year-old kid smiling into the camera appeared to be the tipping point for a heartbroken father.
David Engwiller appeared in court in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday for the sentencing of 29-year-old Daniel Garcia, who was found guilty of the death of Engwiller’s son Domenic Aguilar Acevedo in 2021. During the trial, prosecutors showed a video of Domenic saying, “I love you so much, mommy, I love you so much, mommy.”
Domenic’s father reportedly screamed and threw a water bottle while the video aired. He stood up and approached the defendant, according to footage from local ABC affiliate KSAT.
“I should kill your f—— a- right here!” Engwiller yelled as deputies surrounded him and led him out of the courtroom.
Ultimately, 226th District Court Judge Velia J. Meza sentenced Garcia to life in prison for Domenic’s terrible death, according to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. Garcia, 29, was found guilty in May by a jury of serious bodily harm to a child.
Domenic’s grandmother, Serline Acevedo, stated in a tearful victim impact statement that she will no longer be able to hear her grandson’s voice.
“Domenic was just 5 years old and all that he did was play with his dinosaurs and his sisters,” says Acevedo. “And now he is no longer with us because someone who did not love him stole his life. I will never hear him utter ‘nana.’ All I have now is a huge hurt in my heart that will last my entire life.”
Garcia, his daughter, girlfriend Nickolle Aguilar, and their son Domenic were staying at an extended-stay hotel in San Antonio in late July 2021. Garcia would slap Domenic for things like not answering questions quickly enough or not eating quickly enough.
“[Domenic] didn’t respond quickly, kept quiet, or ate his food quickly enough…” During his trial, Aguilar admitted to having pooped himself once.
Speaking about previous occurrences in the weeks leading up to Dominic’s death, Aguilar stated that Garcia punched the youngster in the face with such force that the boy’s jaw became “crooked.”
“He wasn’t answering fast enough or eating fast enough and — I don’t remember exactly what happened, but at some point, Daniel [Garcia] hit [Dominic] in the jaw,” claimed the lady. “He punched him in the jaw, like how you sucker punch somebody, with a closed fist.”
On July 24, 2021, Garcia slammed Domenic into a wall, fatally injuring him. Dominic began vomiting a dark material, according to authorities, before passing just a few hours later.
According to authorities, surveillance footage from the hotel showed Garcia taking Dominic’s lifeless body to their car. Aguilar testified that instead of calling 911, they traveled to Colorado and camped in a lonely spot before interring Dominic.
After Aguilar was unable to explain Domenic’s location, his grandmother contacted the police. His severely decomposed body was eventually discovered in a ravine near the campsite.
Garcia and Aguilar were captured in Florida and extradited to Texas. Garcia was originally charged with murder, but prosecutors said they changed the allegation to injury to a child causing significant bodily harm as a “legal strategy.” Domenic’s body was so deteriorated that determining a cause of death would be “problematic.” Domenic was gravely hurt, as evidenced by video surveillance from the hotel, which revealed Domenic’s body.
“The evidence in this case is tragic and painful from beginning to end,” Bexar County Criminal District Attorney Joe Gonzales stated in a statement. “Our office will continue to pursue those who endanger our children. Domenic deserved so much better than what he received in life, and Daniel Garcia deserved every day of his prison sentence.”
Aguilar was first charged with child abuse resulting in death before reaching an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to one lower charge of damage to a child resulting in serious bodily injury. As part of the agreement, she was required to testify against Garcia. Meza condemned her last week to 15 years in prison.