SAN ANTONIO – Nearly three years after 80-year-old Larry Brister was attacked, carjacked, and later died from his injuries, his family says they’re still waiting for justice — and for answers.
In February 2023, Brister went out for a quick dinner run when, according to San Antonio police, he was beaten, dragged, and left for dead.
Photos of his injuries were so severe that his family says they’ve never been able to forget what happened.
“It’s frustrating… he was murdered… and I just don’t understand,” said Brister’s wife, Sandra Brister.
His daughter, Mandy, said the moment she saw him after the attack is something she’ll never get out of her mind.
“I fainted when I saw him… it was horrible, absolutely horrible,” she said.
Brister survived for five months after the assault before succumbing to his injuries.
Inside the Brister home, his favorite leather recliner — the chair where he used to spend evenings with his family — has remained untouched since his death.
“No one will sit in his chair,” Sandra said. “It’s his spot.”
The family says the emotional toll has been compounded by repeated delays in the criminal case.
The three suspects — Gabriel Urbano, Miguel Acosta, and Zachariah Aguirre — were arrested in 2023. All were minors at the time but have since turned 18.
Urbano and Acosta are charged with murder and aggravated robbery, while Aguirre faces a murder charge.
Miguel Angel Acosta, 19 (Copyright Bexar County Jail)
According to the Brister family, hearings and trial dates have been pushed back multiple times since the arrests.
“We were told at one point we would start a trial at the beginning of 2024,” Sandra said. “We just want closure… and communication. I hope I’m still alive when he’s on trial.”
The family says they’ve been told there could be movement in the case in early 2026, but they fear more delays are likely.
“You took a wonderful father, grandfather, and husband away from us,” Sandra said in a message to the suspects. “Life has never been the same.”
As of November 2025, all three suspects remain in custody awaiting trial.
According to an indictment obtained by KSAT, Acosta is accused of attacking Brister, taking control of his vehicle, and dragging him on the street, which caused serious bodily harm.
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