Two sentenced to 50 years in 2015 Titus County kidnapping, murder

TITUS COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - Two men have been sentenced in connection with a 2015 kidnapping and murder in Titus County.

Johnathan Kyle Sanford, 25, and Jose Antonio Ponse, 27, both appeared in the 276th District Court before Judge Robert Rolston. According to the Titus County Sheriff's Office, Ponse appeared Tuesday and Sanford appeared Wednesday. Both were sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to each charge. Their sentences will run concurrently and neither will be eligible for parole until they have served at least half of the 50-year sentence.

The two sentences for Ponse and Sanford will run concurrently and neither will be eligible for parole until they have served at least half of the fifty year sentence, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

RELATED: Titus County woman arrested after husband's kidnapping, murder

The charges stem from the nighttime abduction of Earnest Lee Ibarra in February 2015. The sheriff's office said Ibarra was taken from his residence in Titus County, beaten and driven into the southeast corner of Camp County, where he was killed. His body was later found by officials.

Two other suspects in the crime - Ibarra's wife, Samantha Nicole Wohlford and Octavious Lamar Rhymes - remain in Titus County Jail under indictment for murder and aggravated kidnapping. Their cases are pending.

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