Two Harris County men sentenced in 2021 murder of supposed friend

HOUSTON, Texas (KWTX) - Two men have been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing a friend they got in a fight with in 2021.

Leroy Lopez, 19, and Christopher Paz, 19, were sentenced after admitting to fatally shooting 17-year-old Abraham Mata on April 4, 2021.

The three men were at a trailer house in the 400 block of East Wallisville Road when a fight broke out where witnesses said all three were “highly intoxicated.”

“Lopez apparently picked up Mata and slammed him to the ground, knocking him unconscious,” said the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. ”Mata was then dragged out of the trailer house and shot twice.”

Lopez and Paz then dragged Mata’s body to the back of a wooded area behind a church in Highlands where victim was stabbed several times. The next day, both men were detained by police after they were seen nearby acting suspiciously.

Paz then led police to the body and told investigators what had happened.

Lopez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison by state District Judge Te’iva Bell on Monday.

Paz pleaded guilty in exchange for 25 years in prison on Wednesday.