Man charged with killing 16-year-old in north Houston

Mayra Moreno Image
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Man charged with killing 16-year-old in north Houston
Man charged with killing 16-year-old in north Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Court documents show police now have a picture of 22-year-old Irbin Vargas, who appears to be holding a semi-automatic gun with the caption reading "life aint worth living without you." He's wanted in the shooting death of 16-year-old Lourdes Sandoval, whose friends know her as "Betty."

"I don't sleep well at night. I think about her. She was such a close person to me," said Yadira Serrano, who knew about the toxic relationship between her best friend and Vargas.

"I tried to convince her to do police reports and do something about it," she said.

Serrano said Vargas was obsessed with Sandoval, and would even follow her home sometimes.

"He sends crazy messages, does crazy things," she said.

Court documents show that on Sept. 12, the night Sandoval was killed, Vargas was asking Sandoval about hanging out with him. Eyewitness News got a hold of those messages:

Sandoval: "lol when...when you were going to shoot me"
Vargas: "yes when I had the gun to your head that's why I put it down cuz I thought you meant it".
Sandoval: "next time you point a gun at me make sure you kill me cause I'm never talkin' to you again"

"He was crazy over her. Maybe if something was done she would still be alive," said the best friend, who admits she should have gone to police.

The family created a Go Fund Me to pay for burial expenses.

Anyone with information about Vargas' whereabouts is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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