A sentence has been given in a first degree murder case against Rodney Prieto this month, following more than a year of hearings and deliberations on a case in which two men died. Prieto was charged and booked into the Texas County Detention Center in July 2018.
Further details became available in early August 2018, outlining a series of events which led to the death of Prieto’s older brother Robert Prieto and another man, Jesus “Freddy” Alfredo Alvarez Catalan.
According to witnesses, Catalan and Prieto engaged in a verbal argument over the phone, allegedly centered over Prieto’s treatment of the mother of his children. Catalan and the woman were allegedly in a relationship at the time.
Following the argument, Catalan and the woman allegedly arrived at a residence on S. Lelia Street in Guymon, where he and Prieto prepared to fight. Catalan allegedly brandished a handgun, then placed the gun inside the vehicle he had arrived in. A fight ensued, and Prieto’s brother allegedly retrieved the handgun from the vehicle.
While the Prieto brothers argued over the handgun and whether to shoot Catalan, Catalan allegedly freed himself from Rodney Prieto, got back into the vehicle and sped toward the brothers. Robert Prieto was struck and dragged until the vehicle struck the porch of the residence and came to a stop.
Rodney Prieto allegedly took possession of the handgun and shot Catalan while he was still inside the vehicle. Catalan exited the vehicle and stumbled into the street, where he collapsed. Both Catalan and Robert Prieto died of their injuries.
Prieto was charged with felony Murder in the First Degree with Deliberate Intent.
On Aug. 7, Prieto pleaded no contest to the charge, and was given a sentence of 30 years in the Department of Corrections with all but 10 years suspended with credit given for time served and a $1,000 fine.