Twenty year old Matison Jonathan Preville, Jr, is now facing a capital murder charge and $3 million bail following the death of his romantic partner, in a case that has gripped both the U.S. and Saint Lucia.
Preville Jr., the son of prominent Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Saint Lucia, was initially arrested on June 19 after the body of 19-year-old Keren Martinez Ballesteros was discovered in a remote field near the Cashion community. Originally charged with murder and granted bail of $1 million, his charge was upgraded to capital Murder after investigators alleged that Ballesteros was kidnapped prior to being killed. His bail was subsequently tripled to $3 million, according to Wichita County Jail records.
A revised arrest affidavit filed on June 20 by Wichita Falls police investigator Hayden King accuses Preville of luring Ballesteros under false pretenses, restraining her through deception, and transporting her to an isolated location with the intent to commit murder. The affidavit claims Preville concealed her both in his vehicle and the field, deliberately choosing locations where she was unlikely to be found. These acts, investigators say, amount to aggravated kidnapping designed to facilitate a homicide.
An autopsy confirmed that Ballesteros sustained two shotgun wounds; one to the torso and another to the head. Investigators also recovered clothing stained with what appeared to be blood from Preville’s apartment.
If convicted of capital murder under Texas law, Preville faces either life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
Authorities emphasize that Preville remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case continues to attract significant attention due to the gravity of the allegations and Preville’s ties to a respected religious leader.
