Los Barrios Matriarch found dead

[Sunshine]

http://http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA042408.BodyFound.EN.96c6c3bc.html

Woman found dead in S.A. home

Web Posted: 04/24/2008 03:56 PM CDT

Lomi Kriel
Express-News

Viola B. Barrios, who as a single mother with three children started one of this city's best-known Mexican restaurants, was found slain inside her Northwest Side home Thursday, not long after firefighters extinguished a small blaze at the stone and brown-brick house.

Authorities have refused to say how Barrios was killed or where inside the home she was found. Firefighters discovered her at about 10 a.m. inside the house in the 10800 block of Tioga, and immediately knew it was a homicide, police spokesman Sgt. Gabe Trevino said, though he declined to release any details.

A silver Mercedes, with the Mercedes emblem missing, was taken from the home. Police asked that anyone with information about the E350 Mercedes, with Texas license plate 576 JGV, call authorities at 210-207-7635.

Investigators did not yet know if anything was missing. But her son, Louie Barrios, now the chief executive officer of the popular Los Barrios restaurant chain, said he thought it was a botched burglary. His mother had sold the house, he said, and was closing on it at the end of the month. Most of her possessions were packed up in boxes and he suspected someone had "felt her to be an easy target," because she lived alone at the home.

"It's a very sad day in my family's life," he said, in tears, as he stood outside the police tape that separated dozens of friends and relatives from the home. "Words cannot describe how we feel right now."

Barrios founded the restaurant in 1979, after unexpectedly losing her husband in a car accident and $10,000 on a bad investment. With three small children, and limited English, starting the restaurant was "a last hope," her son said.

Since then, the restaurant has expanded, Barrios and her relatives have made numerous appearances on national television shows, and published several cook books.

Thursday, at the Blanco location of their flagship restaurant, Juana Lara walked out of the building, sobbing. She has worked there for 17 years, she said, starting off in the kitchen and gradually progressing to a waitress.

"I'm in shock, really," the 48-year-old said. "I can't explain. I cannot believe it."

[BacktoBasics]

I don't know why it came to mind but was this the lady that did the crispy taco throwdown with Bobby Flay?

[Sunshine]

I don't know why it came to mind but was this the lady that did the crispy taco throwdown with Bobby Flay?

It was the daughter, Diana, that did the Throwdown with Bobby Flay. She's done a couple of other things on the Food Network and is a semi-regular on the morning new shows "in the kitchen" segments.

My b/f and I frequent the second restaurant, La Hacienda, quite often and we're really saddened to hear this. They seem like a genuinely nice family.

[BacktoBasics]

It was the daughter, Diana, that did the Throwdown with Bobby Flay. She's done a couple of other things on the Food Network and is a semi-regular on the morning new shows "in the kitchen" segments.

My b/f and I frequent the second restaurant, La Hacienda, quite often and we're really saddened to hear this. They seem like a genuinely nice family.Strange thing is that all the years I lived in SA I haven't been to either.

[degenerate_gambler]

That's sad...


Only two Mexican restaurants I will eat at are Los Barrios on Blanco and Jacala's on West Ave....both family owned for years.

[degenerate_gambler]

They seem like a genuinely nice family.

They are and you can usually find Louis walking table to table shaking hands, talking w/customers any nite of the week at the original restaurant.

[remingtonbo2001]

I've been there on a couple of occassions. Haven't been in a couple years though.

My prayers go out to the family.

[Sunshine]

Strange thing is that all the years I lived in SA I haven't been to either.

I have only been to Los Barrios once, a long time ago. La Hacienda is out on Redland Rd close to where I live and I think it's one of the better Mexican places around.


That's sad...


Only two Mexican restaurants I will eat at are Los Barrios on Blanco and Jacala's on West Ave....both family owned for years.

My family has gone to Jacala's for YEARS, long before the added on and expanded. Great food.

[BacktoBasics]

Yeah Jacala's is a favorite of mine

La Fogata
Jacala's
Rosarios
El Jarro
Bee's

pretty much my top 5 although I'm leaving out the old El Bosque and a few others

[mrsmaalox]

The original one on Blanco is my favorite. Just a few weeks ago I was at La Hacienda with friends, and Diana was chatting with us about them FINALLY getting their mom to sell her house!! So sad, such a nice family.

[Sunshine]

They are and you can usually find Louis walking table to table shaking hands, talking w/customers any nite of the week at the original restaurant.

You don't find that too often anymore.

To me, it's like they're saying "It's because of you that my restaurant has been a success and I want to thank you for coming."

[Sunshine]

Yeah Jacala's is a favorite of mine

La Fogata
Jacala's
Rosarios
El Jarro
Bee's

pretty much my top 5 although I'm leaving out the old El Bosque and a few others

It would be hard for me to list my top 5, but in no particular order they would include:

La Hacienda
La Fogata
La Fonda
Jacala
Blanco Cafe

[T Park]

Never been to any of those places.

Sorry to hear about her, though. Prayers out.

[degenerate_gambler]

My family has gone to Jacala's for YEARS, long before the added on and expanded. Great food.


love it there..

and i'm usually on the hook to buy my girls on of those head halo thingys the lady outside sells if we're there on a weekend nite.

[Sunshine]

love it there..

and i'm usually on the hook to buy my girls on of those head halo thingys the lady outside sells if we're there on a weekend nite.


:lol

She's always there! We're supposed to go there this weekend to celebrate my nephews birthdays. I can already taste the puffy tacos!

[jcrod]

Sad, it's been a favorite of my familys since I've been little.

[Dex]

I miss San Antonio. I've been to every one of the Mexican food places listed in this post, and they're all delicious.

Very sad news indeed. Condolences go out to the Barrios family :(

[KEDA]

As a frequent attendee of La Hacienda, my thoughts and prayers go to the Barrios family.

[marini martini]

How sad. My prayers go out. Started going there when the took over the old D.Q.

[Sonia_TX]

I've never been to Los Barrios but it's sad to hear that news.

as for the other restaurants... Jacala is yummy! It's not too far from my house (5 minutes?) but we don't frequent it but I am sure we will go there this weekend since we have family from California in town.

[SequSpur]

I ate there today for lunch. When we walked out, the news cameras were out there trying to interview everyone... WTF?

[MoSpur]

That was sad to hear. It has to be someone who knows her.

[MoSpur]

May God bless her and the family.

[degenerate_gambler]

All this Jacala's talk...

Now I think I'm going to have to have my pregame meal there tonite..:toast

[Extra Stout]

I insist upon going to Jacala's when I'm in SA. The Yankee family I married into doesn't comprehend true Puro San Antonio Mexican food, and prefers Gringified places like Sausalito's.

They also think it's weird that I insist upon having tamales on Christmas Eve.

[degenerate_gambler]

I insist upon going to Jacala's when I'm in SA. The Yankee family I married into doesn't comprehend true Puro San Antonio Mexican food, and prefers Gringified places like Sausalito's.

They also think it's weird that I insist upon having tamales on Christmas Eve.



Get a rope...

[JoeChalupa]

Was so sad to hear about this. I had just watched the puffy taco throw down with Bobby Flay a few days ago. My prayers go out to the family.

[fatsack]

they got the scumbag.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/stories/MYSA042508.barriosarrest.en.9b17ab71.html

Police arrest man in Barrios slaying

Web Posted: 04/25/2008 11:42 AM CDT

Robert Crowe
Express-News

Police announced the arrest of Joe Estrada, 18, in the slaying of restaurateur Viola B. Barrios.


On Thursday, firefighters responding to calls for a small fire discovered Barrios slain inside her home.

They said the arrest was made overnight and that Estrada robbed Barrios for money to buy drugs before killing her and setting fire to her home.


burn, motherfucker.

[1369]

KSAT is also reporting that the aforementioned scumbag was also her neighbor.

[fatsack]

he was allegedly using her stolen credit cards around town.
a real genius.

[BacktoBasics]

Thankfully he's just old enough for the death penalty.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Word is this neighbor robbed Barrios for drug money, so yeah, his mind ain't all right.

[MoSpur]

I knew it was someone who knew her.

[cornbread]

Los Barrios has brought me much happiness and fed me countless meals for over 20 years. What a tragedy.

[Shelly]

Terrible

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

http://www.ksat.com/news/15990375/detail.html

UPDATE: 4:46 p.m. -- Police executed a search warrant Friday afternoon at the home of Joe Estrada, who lived next door to his alleged victim, Viola Barrios. Detectives at the scene removed one bow and several arrows from the home. The items were removed and classified as evidence possibly connected to the crime, a detective told KSAT 12 News.