Sheriff's Office Investigating Drunken Stabbing Death in Tom Green County

SAN ANGELO, TX— The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office has released information of an alleged stabbing death in the late night hours of June 22, 2024.

Information released said that the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a San Angelo man that occurred in the 1200 block of Vines Road in Tom Green County.

Deputies responded to the area at approximately 11:53 PM in reference to a report of a stabbing victim.

Deputies arrived and found the victim, identified as Layne Lubke, 23, of San Angelo in the backyard suffering from a stab wound to the upper left chest area and a stab wound to the left side abdominal area.

A second individual at the scene, 24-year-old Shae Shepherd of San Angelo was attempting to apply direct pressure to the wounds. The victim was subsequently transported by ambulance to Shannon Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.        

Preliminary investigation indicates that Lubke and Shepherd had spent Sunday afternoon together drinking at bars in San Angelo.

The pair were called back to Shepherd's residence by his girlfriend who claimed she had heard gunshots in the area and subsequently heard the sound of someone breaking into her residence.  After arriving at the residence, Shepherd armed himself with a pocketknife and proceeded to the rear of the residence where he encountered Lubke coming from the other direction.

In the confusion of the moment and under the apparent influence of alcohol, the defendant, Shepherd stabbed Lubke, resulting in his death.  

Investigators located no evidence of an intruder.   

Shepherd was subsequently arrested for the offense of Manslaughter and booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center.

This is currently an active investigation.