Texas Man Who Stabbed Ex-Girlfriend’s Stepfather While He Slept Sentenced to 33 Years

LAREDO, TEXAS — A Texas man who admitted to stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s stepfather to death while the victim slept has been sentenced to 33 years in prison, ending a case investigators say was fueled by months of hidden rage and premeditation.

Tomas Aguilar, 21, pleaded guilty last week to the 2022 murder of 42-year-old Oscar Bedarte, who was killed in his Laredo home while asleep, according to Webb County court records.

Attack in the Middle of the Night

Prosecutors said Aguilar, who was 18 years old at the time, entered Bedarte’s home on Iturbide Street through an unlocked door around 1:30 a.m. on March 30, 2022.

According to court documents reviewed by the Laredo Morning Times, Aguilar picked up a kitchen knife from the sink and stabbed Bedarte multiple times as he slept. When the victim awoke and tried to move, Aguilar struck again before fleeing the scene.

After the attack, Aguilar called 911, initially claiming he had acted in self-defense. He told dispatchers that he met two men at a park who took him to a home where an argument turned violent. Aguilar said one man tried to stab him, forcing him to fight back.

However, investigators quickly determined that his story didn’t match the evidence found at the scene, including a large pool of blood in the bedroom, contradicting his version of events.

Confession and Motive

When confronted with the evidence, Aguilar admitted to police that he knew the victim and had gone to the home specifically to kill him.

He told detectives he was filled with “so much rage” over something Bedarte had allegedly done to his stepdaughter — Aguilar’s ex-girlfriend. He confessed he had planned to commit the murder for months but “did not have the guts” to go through with it until that night.

Authorities have not revealed what Aguilar believed Bedarte had done to provoke the attack.

Bedarte was found dead on his bedroom floor by responding officers, his body surrounded by blood.

Sentence and Aftermath

Aguilar was arrested shortly after the murder and later entered a guilty plea. A Webb County judge sentenced him to 33 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Bedarte’s family described him as a man who “loved music, singing, dancing, and making people laugh.” He left behind five children, according to his obituary.

As communities across Texas continue to grapple with domestic-related violence, the Laredo case serves as a reminder of how long-simmering anger can escalate into tragedy. For continued coverage of crime and public safety stories across the state, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.