Guatemalan National Sentenced to 35 Years for Brutal League City Murder

GALVESTON, Texas — A Galveston County jury has sentenced a Guatemalan man to 35 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his partner during a violent domestic incident in League City.

On June 11, 2026, jurors found Rigoberto Argueta-Sontay guilty of murder in the July 2025 killing of Alberto Guzman Brito.

According to prosecutors, League City police officers responded to a reported stabbing at a residence in the 2800 block of Brookmist Lane in July 2025.

When officers arrived, they found Guzman Brito suffering from multiple stab wounds to his torso and face, a slit throat, and a severe abdominal wound that exposed his intestines. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police detained Argueta-Sontay, who was standing next to the victim when officers arrived.

Investigators interviewed eight men who also lived at the residence. Witnesses told police they heard screams coming from the bedroom shared by the victim and Argueta-Sontay. Two witnesses reported seeing Argueta-Sontay stabbing Guzman Brito.

During an interview with investigators, Argueta-Sontay admitted to cutting the victim’s throat. He was later indicted for murder by a Galveston County grand jury.

The trial began June 8. Jurors heard testimony from League City Police Sgt. Jason Kifer and Officer Jose Chipres, who were among the first officers to arrive. Kifer testified that he heard the victim’s agonal breathing during his final moments.

The prosecution also presented crime scene and autopsy photographs. Galveston County Medical Examiner Dr. Erin Barnhart testified that Guzman Brito suffered a punctured lung, a severe abdominal wound, and a neck injury that severed his trachea along with major arteries and veins.

Jurors also watched Argueta-Sontay’s recorded interview with detectives. Detective Turcios translated the interview for the jury as Argueta-Sontay gave multiple conflicting accounts of the incident.

During the trial, Argueta-Sontay testified in his own defense, acknowledging that he had entered the United States illegally from Guatemala. He claimed he acted in self-defense after Guzman Brito allegedly attacked him with a knife.

After approximately one hour of deliberations, the jury rejected the self-defense claim and found Argueta-Sontay guilty of murder.

During the punishment phase, the defense sought a sudden passion finding that would have reduced the offense to a second-degree felony and requested a 20-year sentence.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael D. Rinehart argued that the brutality of the killing and Argueta-Sontay’s inconsistent statements warranted a much harsher punishment.

The jury returned a sentence of 35 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

The Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office thanked the jurors for their service and commended the League City Police Department and the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office for their work on the case.