Man previously charged with murder has now been released from prison. The charges have been dropped

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man who spent the past three months in jail after being arrested on murder charges is now a free man.

Michael Ludwig, 70, said he was in jail and unable to post $100,000 bail when he suddenly learned on Nov. 1 that charges against him had been dropped.

Ludwig spoke with KSAT 12 News Friday morning. He said he wanted to make things right.

“(I thought) maybe they got it wrong,” Ludwig said. ‘I didn’t give them time to think about it. I’m out of here.”

As we reported on August 12, San Antonio police arrested him in connection with the shooting of 37-year-old Rudy Vallejo.

Officers said the two men were involved in a dispute in the Walmart parking lot near Southeast Military Drive and Roosevelt Avenue.

At the time, police reported that Ludwig claimed the shooting was in self-defense, although SAPD’s investigation ultimately led to a murder charge against him.

Ludwig still claims he was protecting himself.

He said he often camps out in his truck in the Walmart parking lot, where he sleeps and cooks meals to share with other people who are unhoused.

Ludwig said Vallejo had previously approached and threatened him there.

On the morning of August 12, Ludwig said Vallejo tried to physically attack him, so he shot him.

“I wanted to shoot in his pile to let him know, ‘I’m not playing, boy.’ He sat on me with a stick,” Ludwig said. “He didn’t give me a choice. I couldn’t fire a warning shot.”

While in prison, Ludwig said he feared he might not see the light of day again.

But suddenly Ludwig found out that he was released and the charges against him were dismissed.

Court records show the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

KSAT 12 News called and emailed the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office Friday for more information about the reason for the firing.

KSAT also sent an email to SAPD asking if the case was still under investigation and if charges could be filed against Ludwig again in the future.

Neither agency responded to these questions.

In the meantime, Ludwig has gone camping again from his truck.

But he still thinks about what happened and the man he says he had to kill.

“I’m sorry,” Ludwig said. “I would like to contact his family.”

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