What did Johnathan Solarte do? Charges explored as former sports anchor in San Antonio arrested for murder

Johnathan Solarte, a former lead anchor of the sports division of Univision, was arrested on July 3, 2023, for murder. The 37-year-old former anchor is accused of murdering a male relative, 35-year-old Ricardo Escobar Cardona due to an argument that occurred at a house in the 6600 block of Spurs Nation Drive, Corpus Christi around midnight on July 3, 2023.

Johnathan Solarte allegedly shot Cardona. Once the Corpus Christi Police Department officers arrived at the scene, they promptly arrested Solarte. Cardona, who suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest, was taken to the Bay Area Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Solarte was arrested and accused of murder.

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Eyewitnesses reveal more details about the circumstances leading up to Johnathan Solarte’s alleged crime

As quoted by the New York Post, Christian Escobar, a witness who was outside the house where the shooting took place, told the police that Ricardo Escobar Cardona was peacefully allowed to enter the residence. As per another witness, Marthan Sanchez, Solarte and Cardona were speaking before their argument escalated. She alleges that when she attempted to de-escalate the fight, she was pushed to the ground and heard a gunshot that caused Cardona to fall. In the report that quotes her, it is said:

“She stated that she did not see what exactly happened when the gun went off.”

The police confronted Johnathan Solarte when they arrived at the scene. He flagged the officers down. As per the statement of an officer who responded to the scene:

“I called out to Jonathan and he stated that I needed to go inside to help someone. I asked him who the shooter was and he stated he was the shooter.”

Johnathan Solarte spoke to the police, and said the following to them as per KRIS 6:

“[He] trying to defend himself and that he was struggling with Ricardo at the time he was shot.”

The report further states:

“Jonathan also stated that Ricardo barged into his home and began to threaten him.”

Solarte was arrested and accused of murder after a further investigation conducted by the Corpus Christi Police Department. He was initially detained in the Nueces County Jail and was released after paying a bond of $300,000 on Wednesday, July 5. Before his work at Univision, Johnathan Solarte was a reporter for Univision Costa Central and a sports anchor and producer with NBC Temeundo.