New defense attorney appointed in Nixon murder case

A Gonzales County man who shot and killed another during a deadly argument near Nixon had his case reset until Nov. 29 while his new attorney prepares for his defense.

Discovery was also ordered to take place in the case of Samuel Garcia-Mendiola and James Milan of San Antonio was appointed to replace Travis Hill as his attorney after a motion to withdraw by Hill was granted by 25th District Judge William Old III

Garcia-Mendiola, who just had his bond reduced last month by Old, faces a charge of murder in connection with the shooting death of Jose Robles Quintana on Sunday, May 28.

Old reduced his bond from $750,000 to a $500,000 cash/surety bond during a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 20 at the Gonzales County Courthouse.

According to Gonzales County Sheriff’s deputies, the GCSO received a call at 12:54 a.m. Sunday about shots being fired in the 100 block of County Road 168, which is off Texas Highway 80 near Clear Fork Creek, north of the Nixon-Smiley High School campus.

Upon arrival, deputies found the body of a gunshot victim later identified as Robles Quintana. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A second individual who reportedly had been assaulted during an altercation with Robles Quintana — later identified as Garcia-Mendiola — was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) for treatment of injuries.

After determining that Garcia-Mendiola had shot and killed Robles Quintana, Gonzales County Sheriff’s deputies and the Texas Rangers, who were investigating the incident, arrested Garcia-Mendiola and charged him with murder.