Suspect Arrested in 2022 Harris County Homicide After Fleeing to Mexico

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced the arrest of Samuel Ibarra-Cleto in connection with a 2022 homicide.

Case Background
On February 7, 2022, deputies responded to a shooting on the 5800 block of Elberta, near Hirsch Road and E. Mount Houston Road. The victim, 37-year-old Arturo Pecina-Rodriguez, was found shot and pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined that Ibarra-Cleto, the victim’s brother-in-law, had been involved in an ongoing feud with Pecina-Rodriguez. Samuel allegedly fired multiple shots, fatally wounding the victim, and then fled the scene.

Arrest and Transfer
Ibarra-Cleto remained at large until September 2025, when he was apprehended in Mexico. Harris County’s Violent Criminals Apprehension Team (VCAT) assisted in his transfer back to Texas. He has now been booked into the Harris County Jail and faces a murder charge.

Sheriff Gonzalez thanked law enforcement partners for their work in apprehending the suspect and bringing the case closer to resolution.