by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

05-26-26

Having found myself with free time on a Friday afternoon, I decided to head to San Antonio to see a once notorious location near Ingram Mall just off Highway 410 called Devil’s Den.

Back in the 90’s. Devils Den was a remote wooded area that featured a strange abandoned concrete grain mill and dirt bike paths and dirt trails. It was the place where teens would go to hang out to hang out, smoke pot, have sex, play paintball etc. There were rumors Satanic rituals were held there also.

December 1996, the location was the site where the bodies of two teenage boys were found a month after the crime. While rumors of satanic rituals spread about the murder, authorities found out the culprit was one of their own classmates.

According to an article from MySanAntonio.com, the two teenage boys, both students at Holmes High School, were killed in Devil’s Den in 1996. Eric Anderson and Christian Maldonado had been missing for nearly a month when their bodies were discovered in the field known as Devil’s Den, located behind the Piper’s Creek subdivision in Northwest San Antonio on December 1, 1996.

The article goes on to say a classmate of Anderson and Maldonado, Roger Martinez who had moved to Bastrop, was convicted of the double murder and was sentenced to serve two life terms.

Today the site has become legal and legit to visit, complete with a steel bridge which crosses a river and concrete walkway and marked trails. The main parking lot to the trail is at the VIA San Antonio Ingram Transit Center located at 3215 Northwestern Dr, San Antonio, TX 78238

One trail I took to see the old grain silo was called Treachery.

Walking down the semi-gravel/semi-dirt path, I soon found the old grain silo which had been tagged with graffiti. Most of the graffiti was more like murals rather than the random spray paint tagging I was expecting.

I hiked farther down to the old dirt bike trails where the main trail ended. Looking up towards the rocky slope above, I spotted a couple of rock overhangs that could be called “caves” or the actual Devil’s Den which would be a wild exaggeration.

The mosquitos were vicious. I hurried back to the concrete pathway up above not wanting to be the next body found. I could see the news story: Uvalde journalist found dead: murdered by mosquitos.

Back on the legit concrete walkway, I thought I’d seen it all: I hadn’t. I soon encountered a guy sitting on a large stone overlook. “Can I come up and look too?” I asked. He nodded.

The guy in his late 20’s was wearing some type of Army shirt and smoking a tiny cigarette. He was holding the smoke with a pair of needle nose pilers which seemed odd. I found out soon afterward it was.

The guy said he wanted to get out of Texas and move up north to one of the East Coast states. He said he liked exploring and considered himself a ghost hunter indicating this was a haunted site.

A few moments later, I used my smartphone to query. smoking a cigarette with pilers. Grok AI said, “This is a significant detail. Tweakers do this.” A tweaker is a person that uses Meth.

Walking back to my car, I see a man and a woman dressed oddly. I said “Hi” and they continued to walk by.

The woman, about 25 years away yelled and asked. “Are you a private detective?”

I guess she saw my Nikon 25 mm camera strapped around my neck.

I said. ” Na, I’m just a dude.”

  Almost at the parking lot, I saw another couple heading towards the trail. The woman looked overly made up wearing tight clothing. I thought. Hmm.

Visiting the place even during daylight like I did was a bit sketchy, But if you are considering a visit after dark I wouldn’t advise it.

Summary: It’s a legal place to visit with urban exploration vibes. It still carries some of its dark vibes and potential dangers to this day.

 

 

 

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