A Texas man shot his stepson to death during a heated argument. Now, he will never walk free again.
A Brazoria County judge sentenced Rodolfo Pena, 68, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after the shooting death of Osvaldo del Villar, 29. After seven hours of jury deliberation, Pena was convicted of murder and evading arrest.
On Feb. 2, 2021, officers responded to the 100 block of Blue Jay Drive in Richwood, where they found del Villar with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to St. Luke’s Health Brazosport Hospital in Lake Jackson, where he succumbed to his death. According to prosecutors, the victim and Pena had been in a heated argument during a family get-together to celebrate the victim’s brother, James del Villar's 27th birthday. The altercation started after the defendant disparaged his mother and sister. The friction between the duo had culminated from a series of previous provoking acts by Pena, who also sent inappropriate texts to the victim’s wife.
After the two men were separated briefly, the defendant retrieved a handgun from the backroom and shot del Villar. During the trial, prosecutors brought Pena’s 14-year-old son to testify on the stand and introduced two previous drug convictions in the 80s for the jury.
On the other hand, Pena’s lawyer asked the court for leniency and argued the incident was a crime of passion and the defendant’s drug convictions in the past were irrelevant to the case. In addition, the defendant’s sister, Estella Trevino, told the court the incident was a judgment in error by her brother and that they should consider his age.
“He did not do it intentionally. The family hurts for him and Jennifer. There’s all kinds of emotions. He’s very remorseful. He doesn’t show emotions, but I’ve seen him very vulnerable,” said Trevino, reported The Facts.
The jury disagreed!
Pena was sentenced to additional 25 years for the evading arrest charge.
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