HOUSTON – A man who was convicted of fatally shooting one of his roommates and injuring another in 2017 and then -- a year later -- stabbed an acquaintance multiple times in the chest, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
“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.”
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2017 murder
On May 28, 2017, prosecutors said Josue Celis-Maltes, 43, was drinking beer in an 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, according to prosecutors. The victim survived.
The suspect’s other roommate, 24-year-old Jaime Castillo-Vasquez, heard the gunshot and came out of his bedroom, and Celis-Maltes allegedly shot and killed him. He was charged with murder and aggravated assault, causing serious bodily injury.
2018 stabbing
On May 5, 2018, Celis-Maltes was arrested after going to a friend’s apartment, located at 10110 Club Creek in southwest Houston. Prosecutors said he rushed into the apartment and stabbed an acquaintance, who was a visitor at the home, twice in the chest. The man survived the stabbing.
After the arrest, police discovered that he was wanted for the 2017 murder and aggravated assault charges.
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.”