San Angelo Man Pleads Guilty to Murder

SAN ANGELO— A San Angelo man accused of beating another guy so bad he died had taken a plea deal on a murder charge.  

Kevin Lee Barron, 30, agreed to take a plea deal Thursday in court for Murder after he killed a man inside a bedroom.

According to court documents, a possible aggravated assault had taken place on the 800 block of Antonio Street in San Angelo. Law enforcement responded to the residence and conducted an investigation for an aggravated assault.

A sergeant with the San Angelo Police Department reported that fire and medical responded to the address for a medical issue. A male subject, the victim, was located inside the residence was then transported to Shannon Medical Center as he was not conscious and could not respond. The victim was found to have deep lacerations to his face and scalp and after further inspection was found to have facial and skull fractures. He was placed in the intensive care unit at Shannon Medical Center.

A witness called for emergency services as he was the one who found the victim lying in a bedroom with blood all around him. A detective then applied for a search warrant for the residence and after it was granted, executed the warrant.

The bedroom where the victim was found had a large amount of blood between the foot of the bed, dressers and cabinets in the room. The victim had large lacerations, some several inches long, running diagonally across his scalp. Blood spatter was observed on the television and a table along one of the walls in the bedroom. It was also noted that the victim did not have any defensive wounds.

A resident of the house was interviewed and said he and several others left the residence and left the victim and Barron there. This individual said he had taken a wagon to get water when he left the residence. He left the house at around 1:25 a.m. and video surveillance footage confirmed this. At this time, the victim had not yet been assaulted. When he returned, another witness asked him what happened to the victim.

Both men went outside and saw Barron come to the front of the house. When they asked Barron what had happened to the victim, Barron stated that “It had to be done” and was excited and sweating profusely.

Other witnesses who either lived there or had gone by earlier in the day said the Barron was acting strange and looked like he wanted to fight someone.

Witness Two said he returned to the residence around 3:00 a.m. and stated he heard moaning in the bedroom.  When he went to the room, he saw the victim laying on the floor bleeding.

The victim, identified as Victor Rodriguez, succumbed to his wounds on July 14, 2020, and on July 15, 2020, an autopsy was performed. A doctor said that Rodriguez had skull and facial fractures and that the wounds would quickly incapacitate him.

Barron was booked into the Tom Green County Jail on one charge of Murder and one charge of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle on July 22, 2020, and had his bond set at $1 Million. Barron was indicted in September 2020.

In exchange for a guilty plea, Barron was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the murder of Victor Rodriguez.