BELL COUNTY, Texas — A Bell County man is in jail on a $1 million bond after being accused of murdering his roommate on the evening of April 13.
Bell County Sheriff's Department said in an affidavit that deputies responded to a home in the 3400 Upton Drive in reference to a shooting.
There, officers found an emotional 38-year-old Ian St. Joseph-Valderrama in the backyard, deputies said. They handcuffed him and read him his Miranda rights, deputies added.
The victim was found dead with a visible gunshot wound in the dining room of the home, deputies said. Deputies said they retrieved a shotgun in the kitchen and the weapon had one spent shell still in the chamber.
A woman claiming to be the victim's mother called 6 News and identified him as Steven Wilson. Deputies haven't released or confirmed his identity.
BCSO discovered the two, who had only been living together for days, had been arguing over household chores and a car part through interviews with St. Joseph-Valderrama and a witness who also lived in the home, deputies said.
The arguments had allegedly never gotten physical until the night of the shooting. However, the suspect sent text messages to his mother, who owned the home and expressed his desire to hurt or kill the victim before the act of violence took place, deputies said.
The disturbing text messages listed in the affidavit read, "Mom, you need to text Steven that he's no longer welcome here or I'm going to (expletive) shoot him!"
After shooting the victim, St. Joseph-Valderrama sent a text to a woman that read, "I just (expletive) shot Steven."
No other information was released at this time.
Also on KCENTV.com:
READ MORE ON KCENTV.com: Accused Belton stabber must wear ankle monitor as condition of release