Wimberley High School senior killed in murder

A Wimberley High School senior was killed last week in San Marcos.

Six individuals were arrested December 10 in connection with the alleged homicide that occurred at the Cedars Apartments in San Marcos.

San Marcos Police officers were dispatched to a discharged firearm call at 1101 Leah Ave. at approximately 11:34 p.m. on Monday. Officers located a Ford truck that had wrecked into multiple cars at the back of the complex, officials said.

Officials say one unresponsive male, who was later identified as Kevin Yankovoy, 18, was located inside the vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. Yankovoy was transported to Central Texas Medical Center and later pronounced dead.

Two passengers in the truck were present at the scene — Juan Ramires, 21 of Wimberley, was shot in the arm and treated at CTMC and released, and Garrett Varner, 18 of Wimberley, was uninjured and released.

Justin Yankovoy, Kevin’s brother, told Austin news media that he believes his brother was helping friends in need when he was killed.

“All the way to the end he was helping people out. It didn’t matter how dangerous the situation was,” Justin said.

Kevin was passionate about cars from an early age.

“We knew his future. It wasn’t college. It was being a car mechanic, that’s what he loved to do,” Justin said. “It made me really happy to see him grow, he worked really hard, too.”

The details surrounding the incident are still not clear. Justin said that one of the people in the car with his brother told him that the assailants tried to open the car door. When he put the car in reverse, shots were fired and Kevin was killed.

According to SMPD, initial reports said there were possibly six individuals in a green 2001 Infiniti SUV during the incident. Officials say three ran from the scene on foot before officers arrived at the scene. Officers located three juvenile males in a field near the Cedars Apartments and detained them as part of the shooting investigation, SMPD said. The individuals were identified through video of a theft earlier that evening and were transported to the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center. The three juveniles have been magistrated and charged with Capital Murder.

Officials say a burglary was reported at Raceway, 1103 Highway 80, at approximately 2:03 a.m. December 10 and the individuals involved were reported to be driving a green 2001 Infiniti SUV. Officers obtained the vehicle’s license plate number.

SMPD was later dispatched to another discharged firearm incident near Wonder World Park — 1000 Prospect St. — at approximately 4:47 a.m., officials said. Upon arrival at the park, the first responding officer noticed a green 2001 Infiniti with a license plate that matched earlier reports. The officer held the vehicle at gunpoint until additional officers arrived on scene, SMPD said.

Officials say an investigation revealed multiple guns located inside the vehicle. Three individuals in the vehicle were identified as John Coronado, 19 of San Marcos, Angelo Quihuiz, 18 of Kyle, and a 15-year-old juvenile male, officials said.

Coronado and Quihuiz were taken by SMPD for further questioning and were then transported to the Hays County Jail. The juvenile male was transported to the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center. SMPD said detectives obtained and served warrants for Capital Murder charges for the three offenders. Both Coronado and Quihuiz are being held in the Hays County Jail on a $300,000 bond with charges of Capital Murder.

The investigation into Monday’s homicide is ongoing. This is the seventh homicide in San Marcos in 2019.

Editor’s Note: Photos of four of the six individuals mentioned in this story were not provided because they are juveniles.