Woman accused of stabbing, killing nephew in San Antonio was his lover

Family members grieve while the Bexar County Sheriff's office investigates a fatal stabbing that took place in the early morning hours of Tueday August 9, 2016 in far west Bexar County on the 12,500 block of Dry Run. The sheriff's office said a family disturbance took place that resulted in the death. The scene is currently being investigated. less Family members grieve while the Bexar County Sheriff's office investigates a fatal stabbing that took place in the early morning hours of Tueday August 9, 2016 in far west Bexar County on the 12,500 block of ... more Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Woman accused of stabbing, killing nephew in San Antonio was his lover 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

A woman accused of stabbing her nephew, who bled to death in the driveway of her far West Side home, had an ongoing sexual relationship with the man that lasted for years, a jury here learned Thursday as the murder trial of Andira Abdelaziz opened.

Andira Abdelaziz was 35 when she was arrested and charged with murder in the Aug. 9, 2016, death of Mohammed Abdelaziz, 25, a relation by marriage. He was stabbed in the back at her home in the 12500 block of Dry Run in a neighborhood near Loop 1604.

READ THE ORIGINAL STORY AT OUR SUBSCRIBER SITE: Officers say woman stabbed, killed nephew

In his opening statement, defense attorney Mike McCrum told the jury that Andira Abdelaziz, who pleaded not guilty, acted in self defense.

“He sent hundreds of texts to her, calling her the most vile names, describing what he’s going to do to her once he sees her,”McCrum told the jury. “She wanted it to stop.”

Bexar County Sheriff's deputies had gone to the home on a burglary report, but when they arrived, the woman told them she was mistaken, and they left.

The pair then went inside, and moments later, Mohammed Abdelaziz, 25, a law school graduate who wanted to be an attorney, was stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife. He ran to his car to leave, but ended up crashing his car into the house.

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Reports released at the time said neighbor Bridgett Gatewood, attempted to resuscitate Mohammed Abdelaziz, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Gatewood told the Express-News at the time that Andira Abdelaziz could be heard saying, “He beat me, he beat me,” as she was led away.

Andira Abdelaziz and Mohammed Abdelaziz are Americans of Palestinian descent. Now 37, she married the victim’s uncle when she was 14 in a union that was arranged as part of a tradition in their culture.

Prosecutor Clayton Haden, who asked the jury to find her guilty of murder, said in his opening statement that the victim did send threatening texts to the defendant and acknowledged that she had a black eye and bruises on her legs “from the victim days before,” at the time of her arrest, but nothing happened that day.

“He sent nasty, threatening texts, suggesting he was going to reveal the romantic relationship to family,” Haden told the jury. “The defendant gave a statement. Not once in that statement does she mention that the victim touched her that day.”

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McCrum added in his opening statement that Mohammed Abdelaziz, who was 6-feet, 5-inches tall, was a violent man, picked on people smaller than himself, was addicted to prescription medication, and told the woman to sleep on the couch, forbidding her from sleeping with her husband. McCrum said he threatened his aunt and lover in numerous text messages, stating that he would “put her in a coma.”

The case is being heard in the 226th state District Court, presided by Judge Sid Harle. If convicted, she faces up to life in prison.

Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863