SAN ANTONIO – The capital murder retrial of R.C. Curtis, accused in the 2015 killing of 75-year-old H-E-B employee Paula Boyd, begins Tuesday following years of legal setbacks and newly discovered evidence.
Prosecutors allege Curtis, who was married to Boyd’s granddaughter at the time, beat, strangled and sexually assaulted Boyd in her San Antonio apartment.
The case has faced numerous delays.
The 2015 murder case of Paula Boyd is still awaiting trial. (KSAT 2024)DNA links suspect to crime scene
Police investigators found no signs of forced entry at Boyd’s apartment when she was discovered on Oct. 21, 2015, after failing to show up for work.
Surveillance footage captured Curtis attempting to use Boyd’s debit card at a gas station the day after her death.
While initially arrested for credit card abuse, Curtis faced capital murder charges in March 2016 after his DNA matched evidence from the crime scene.
Two other men, Frank Hernandez Jr. and David Rocha, were also accused of using Boyd’s stolen cards.
Hernandez was arrested, but Rocha was never found and has a warrant out for his arrest.
No description foundMultiple evidence discoveries delay justice
The original trial in November 2021 ended in a mistrial when prosecutors revealed new evidence late in proceedings, including two DVDs suggesting potential alternative suspects. Additional blood evidence emerged from the medical examiner’s office a month later.
In 2022, as Judge Stephanie Boyd was planning to schedule the retrial, the defense filed an appeal citing double jeopardy as the reason they didn’t believe Curtis should go to trial again.
Ultimately, the appeal was denied in 2024, and Boyd scheduled the retrial for December 2024.
Legal challenges extend timeline
Further delays occurred when prosecutors discovered additional evidence from Boyd’s cellphone just days before jury selection was set to begin.
“There was a mistrial because the defense didn’t get the discovery and now we are back here for discovery,” Boyd stated during a December 2024 hearing. “I don’t understand why everyone is waiting until the last minute to accomplish things.”
Boyd ordered weekly hearings with both parties and the lead detective to thoroughly examine all case evidence. This process, completed in March 2025, cleared the way for the current trial date.
If convicted, Curtis faces an automatic life sentence without parole, as prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
KSAT 12 will live stream this trial gavel to gavel. You can watch on KSAT.com, KSAT Plus and KSAT’s YouTube channel.
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