SHAVANO PARK — Joseph Martin Finnegan, 27, was arrested in Shavano Park, Texas, on Wednesday night for the murder of his grandmother. The killing occurred between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at a home off Northwest Military Highway and Long Bow Road.

The victim had called the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office just before 5 p.m. to request help for Finnegan, who was experiencing a mental health crisis. She specifically asked for the agency’s Specialized Multidisciplinary Alternate Response Team (S.M.A.R.T. unit) and requested that Shavano Park police not respond with marked patrol units to avoid escalating the situation.

A BCSO deputy arrived approximately 30 minutes after the call and found Finnegan at the door with blood visible. The victim was discovered lying on the floor covered in blood and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the victim suffered heavy trauma to her neck and face.

Sheriff Salazar said, “This lady, this victim, absolutely did the right thing by calling this team. We stood a really good chance of getting this situation resolved. But unfortunately this suspect took his actions long before the deputy was able to make it to the scene.” He added that Finnegan has a long criminal history and a long mental health history.

Finnegan was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $250,000 bond. Public records show he has an extensive criminal history in Bexar County dating back to 2016, including assaults on elderly individuals and emergency medical personnel.

Shavano Park City Manager Bill Hill said local officers had responded to the residence and Finnegan more than 10 times since 2016. Hill acknowledged that, in hindsight, not responding immediately may not have been the best plan. “Family violence cases, there’s mental crisis. Our officers are very well trained in that,” he said. “There’s a short-term intervention that we can do. But there’s a long-term solution. There has to be fixes. Very complex, it’s not easy.”