Man on trial for murder of Santa Rosa football player

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A trial has begun for a man accused of shooting his spouse and killing his teenage stepson, Cameron County court records show.

Jose Villalobos faces charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of Santa Rosa High School football player Arturo Alexis Sauceda, 18.

The trial began at 8:30 a.m. Monday in front of a jury at the 197th District Court in Brownsville, according to court records.

(Source: Willacy County Sheriff's Office press release)

Background

On July 22, 2023, Willacy County deputies responded to a shooting at the 1400 block of 7th Street, according to a Willacy County Sheriff's Office news release.

At the scene, deputies approached a man, later identified as Villalobos and two victims.

Emergency Medical Services took one victim, identified as Lidia Villalobos, to the hospital in an ambulance and the second victim, identified as Sauceda, was airlifted to Valley Baptist Medical Center.

Sauceda was pronounced dead at the hospital. At the hospital, Lidia was taken into the ICU and reported to be in critical condition at the time, according to a previous ValleyCentral report.

Villalobos was taken into custody and booked into the Willacy County Jail.