Houston, TX– A Texas judge has handed down a 75-year prison sentence to a 29-year-old man for the murder of a 16-year-old girl, following a confrontation in Facebook messages just moments before the crime, according to prosecutors.
Irbin Vargas, 29, has been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Lourdes Sandoval, affectionately called “Betty” by her friends, on September 12, 2018, in Houston. Prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office report that Vargas, aged 22 at the time, and Betty had been in a relationship for approximately one year. Betty decided to terminate the relationship following an incident where Vargas reportedly threatened her with a gun.
At approximately 10 PM that evening, Vargas and the girl engaged in a conversation on Facebook, according to a criminal complaint.
Shortly after, Vargas reportedly shared a photo of himself with a gun to his head, accompanied by the message, “Life ain’t worth living without you.”
Betty reached out to a friend, sharing her fears along with a picture. She stepped outside to meet a friend. Vargas stepped out from the darkness, seized the girl by the shoulder, and shot her in the face, as stated by prosecutors.
Vargas fled the scene but was subsequently apprehended by Houston police officers. Last month, a judge found him guilty following a five-day bench trial. He must complete 30 years before he can be considered for parole.
“He was a 22-year-old predator who worked to get close to a teenage girl,” Assistant District Attorney Philip White, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement. “Five minutes after she told him that it was over for good, he killed her.”
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stated: “It is unacceptable for anyone to lose their life due to domestic violence. This case is particularly heartbreaking as the victim was young and had a bright future ahead — we share in the grief of her family.”
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