A 43-year-old man who fatally shot one of his roommates and wounded another at their southwest Houston apartment in 2017, then brutally stabbed an acquaintance a year later, pleaded guilty on the eve of trial and was sentenced to 30 years in prison Tuesday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This man brutally attacked three people in two different incidents, which does not happen by chance or coincidence or happenstance,” Ogg said. “When someone intentionally hurts people, like this, we seek justice for the victims, and a long prison term is justice.”

Josue Celis-Maltes, 43, was arrested after going to a friend’s apartment at 10110 Club Creek in southwest Houston on May 5, 2018. He rushed into the apartment and stabbed an acquaintance, who was a visitor at the home, twice in the chest. That man survived.

After Celis-Maltes was in custody for that attack, Houston police officers realized he was wanted for murder for fatally shooting his roommate, 24-year-old Jaime Castillo-Vasquez, on May 28, 2017. In addition to being charged with murder, Celis-Maltes was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury for shooting his other roommate in the face during the same incident.

Witnesses said Celis-Maltes was drinking beer in the apartment when he made a call and told someone to bring him his gun. Three of his adult nephews arrived at the apartment complex about 15 minutes later. One of them handed Celis-Maltes a silver pistol.

Celis-Maltes took the gun, walked over to where his 34-year-old roommate was sitting in the apartment and shot him in the face. He survived. Castillo-Vasquez heard the shot and came out of his bedroom, and Celis-Maltes killed him.

Assistant District Attorney Bryan Honeycutt, who prosecuted the case with Rehaman Merchant, noted that Celis-Maltes cannot appeal the murder conviction or the sentence.

“Celis-Maltes got drunk and angry and started shooting his roommates, so thank God one of them lived and was able to pick him out,” Honeycutt said. “He is dangerous and violent, and the guarantee that he will be locked up for 30 years is a good thing for Harris County.”

Suzanne Garofalo

Communications Division, Harris County District Attorney’s Office

1201 Franklin St.

Houston, TX 77002