Man in Harris County custody for brother-in-law's 2022 shooting death, sheriff says

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - A man is in custody for allegedly shooting and killing his brother-in-law almost four years ago in northeast Houston.

Houston crime: Man arrested for brother-in-law's shooting death

What we know:

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez posted on social media that now-37-year-old Samuel Ibarra-Cleto is in custody for the death of then-37-year-old Arturo Pecina-Rodriguez.

The shooting happened in Feb. 2022 on Elberta Street, near Hirsch and East Mount Houston Road. Deputies found the victim shot, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Authorities said there was a disturbance between the victim and a family member that led up to the shooting.

Cleto allegedly fled the scene before deputies arrived, and he was charged with murder. 

According to Sheriff Gonzalez, Cleto was arrested in Mexico in Sept. 2025. The sheriff's office helped transfer him into their custody, and he was booked into the Harris County Jail on Wednesday.

No bond has been set for Cleto at this time.

What we don't know:

No details regarding Cleto's arrest are available at this time.

Rivalry between suspect, victim

Dig deeper:

In the arrest announcement, Sheriff Gonzalez noted that Cleto and Rodriguez had been feuding for weeks before the shooting happened.

Court records suggest Rodriguez was the husband of Cleto's girlfriend's sister. A family member allegedly told police that Cleto and Rodriguez have had issues for some time, but it wasn't clear why.

One day before the shooting, records say Cleto told his girlfriend that Rodriguez went to his truck window with a gun and started to argue with him. Cleto allegedly told Rodriguez that he didn't want any problems, and the two went home.

That same day, records say another witness told police that Cleto said he would kill Rodriguez.

On the day of the shooting, Cleto allegedly told his girlfriend that he was "tired" of Rodriguez and was "going to go settle this." Records say he got a gun from the couple's home, which the girlfriend advised him to leave behind.

The couple then went to the girlfriend's mother's home, but the girlfriend stayed in the car. Cleto was allegedly arguing with his girlfriend's mother as Rodriguez and his wife came to the house.

Cleto allegedly left the home, and all the witnesses heard gunshots.

Cleto and his girlfriend fled the scene, and the girlfriend allegedly said they went home. Cleto then allegedly told her he was leaving, got in a different vehicle, and left.