A San Antonio man was convicted of murdering a Junction resident in 2023 and sentenced to life in prison after what the district attorney’s office called a “inexplicably violent” incident.
According to a media release from 452nd District Attorney Tonya Alschwede, a Kimble County jury convicted 26-year-old San Antonio man Keanue Swan Pratt guilty of the murder of 32-year-old Junction resident Christopher Gates on June 12 after two days of testimony. …” He “was subsequently sentenced by the Honorable Judge Rob Hofmann to Life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.”
Ahlschwede prosecuted Pratt’s case with her trial team, which comprised Assistant District Attorneys Havana Schmidt and Andy Murr. The crime was investigated by Junction Police Department Detective James Stewart, who was aided by other officers from the Junction Police Department, Kimble County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Rangers.”
According to Ahlschwede’s report, evidence submitted in the court suggested that Gates came in as a resident of an RV park in Junction “around midday on July 24, 2023.”” Pratt “was an existing resident at the park,” and his and Gates’ trailers “occupied adjacent spots.”
Pratt and Gates met “sometime after 10:15 p.m.,” then walked to a neighboring convenience shop. Gates purchased beer from the store, and the two went back to Gates’ trailer “to continue socializing and drinking.”
According to the investigation, “what began as a friendly encounter turned inexplicably violent around 2:30 a.m. on July 25, 2023, after the parties moved to Pratt’s trailer.”
It claims that “Pratt described losing consciousness due to the amount of alcohol he consumed” and “was assaulting Gates” when he regained consciousness. According to the report, Pratt told a Texas Ranger, “I was beating his a- and I didn’t realize why,” in a statement.
According to the investigation, Pratt “dragged Gates back towards his trailer and continued to assault him” once he discovered Gates was unconscious.
“The evidence showed that Pratt punched and kicked Gates,” Ahlschwede’s report reads. “The evidence further showed that the prolonged assault continued as Pratt stomped on and struck Gates’ face with a heavy glass ashtray, even as Gates lay unconscious.”
According to the prosecution report, “Pratt only ceased the assault when the owners of the park, awoken by the violence and observing the assault, confronted him and called 9-1-1.” He also “attacked the park owners before fleeing.”
Gates was pronounced deceased on the scene. A medical examiner stated that Gates died from “blunt force trauma to the head with possible manual strangulation.”
According to Junction Police Department reports from late July 2023, Pratt was placed into custody following his return to the scene and confession to the crime.
At Pratt’s sentencing, the evidence provided “showed that Pratt’s criminal history began as a juvenile.” A prosecutor’s forensic psychiatrist “testified that Pratt exhibited anti-social traits and had a long history of drug abuse since the age of 13, explaining the volatility and randomness of the brutal murder.”
“Chris Gates was a kind soul and cherished by those who knew him. But for the heinous acts of the defendant, he would still be with us today,” Ahlschwede said. “This conviction and sentence reflect our commitment to justice for victims and the security of our community.”
