A Texas man, aged 29, has been handed a 75-year prison sentence for the murder of a 16-year-old girl, following a heated exchange on Facebook, according to the prosecution. Irbin Vargas was found guilty of the murder of Lourdes Sandoval, affectionately known as “Betty” by her friends, which took place in Houston on September 12, 2018. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office revealed that Vargas, who was 22 at the time, and Betty had been romantically involved for approximately a year. However, Betty sought to end the relationship after Vargas reportedly threatened her with a firearm.
On the night of the incident, around 10 p.m., Vargas and Betty engaged in a Facebook conversation, as detailed in a criminal complaint. The exchange included Vargas reminiscing about a time when he had pointed a gun at Betty, to which she responded by telling him to ensure he killed her if he ever pointed a gun at her again. Shortly after, Vargas sent Betty a photo of himself with a gun to his head, captioned, “Life ain’t worth living without you.” Betty forwarded the messages and the photo to a friend, expressing her fear.
According to the prosecution, Betty then left her house to meet a friend. Vargas, who was waiting outside, grabbed her by the shoulder and shot her in the face. Vargas fled the scene but was later apprehended by Houston police officers. Following a five-day bench trial last month, a judge found him guilty. Vargas will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 30 years of his sentence.
Assistant District Attorney Philip White, who led the prosecution, described Vargas as a “22-year-old predator” who manipulated his way into a teenage girl’s life. He added that Vargas murdered Betty just five minutes after she ended their relationship. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg expressed her condolences to Betty’s family, stating that no one should ever fall victim to domestic violence, especially someone as young as Betty who had her whole life ahead of her.