Wichita Falls man accused of trying to kill ex-girlfriend

Trish Choate
Wichita Falls Times Record News
Aaron Saldana

A Wichita Falls man suspected of shooting up his ex-girlfriend's apartment during an argument over money has been charged with attempted murder, court documents show. 

Aaron Saldana, 34, was free from Wichita County Jail Thursday on a $30,000 bond, according to court records. 

More:Police: Man shot up ex-girlfriend’s apartment

A Wichita County grand jury indicted Saldana on a charge of attempt to commit murder Wednesday in connection with a Feb. 10 incident in Wichita Falls, according to court filings.

If convicted, Saldana faces up to 20 years in prison.

Justice of the Peace James Hughes ordered Saldana to wear a GPS ankle monitor, not have a weapon and stay at least 100 yards away from his ex-girlfriend, March 29 court records show.

Saldana admitted to a relative who is a police officer that he shot up his ex-girlfriend's apartment, and the ex-girlfriend is afraid he will murder her, according to a prosecutor's request to add bond conditions.

A probable cause affidavit detailed the allegations against Saldana:

Police responded at 11:16 p.m. Feb. 10 to an apartment in the 4800 block of Fairway Boulevard. 

A woman told police she and Saldana were arguing over money during phone calls. During the last one, Saldana told her, "You gonna die tonight."

Then she started hearing loud noises. She was lying in bed and felt something fall on her.

She got up to look, saw the wall was damaged and realized sheetrock dust had fallen onto her. Her daughters were sleeping in the next room.

Bullets penetrated their wall, too. Police found a bullet fragment in the home and nine shell casings outside of the woman's apartment. 

The ex-girlfriend told police she believed Saldana shot at her apartment because of their phone conversation, but she didn't see him during the shooting. 

At 5:46 a.m. Feb. 11, a police officer related to Saldana received text messages from him. He asked her if she was working. 

He texted her:  "l done ducked up," “I shot up my bm apartment," and “They said the laws are looking for me." 

The police officer messaged him to turn himself in, saying that it was his word against his ex-girlfriend's. 

Court records show Saldana has a previous domestic violence conviction. 

He was convicted May 17, 2019, and sentenced to four years in prison for assault of a family or household member-with a previous conviction, court filings show. He had 308 days of jail credit. 

The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 

Saldana was convicted after failing to successfully serve his five-year probation for the Aug. 9, 2014, assault, according to court records. 

He was released from prison Oct. 4, 2019, court records show.

More:UPDATED: Wichita County prosecutor comments on murder plea deal

Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, politics and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia