Texas Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Machete Murder Case

A man in Texas was sentenced to 60 years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering another man with a machete.

The Facts of the Machete Murder Case in Texas

The case begins on June 5, 2024 when officers in McAllen, TX, responded to a residence in order to conduct a wellness check. When they arrived, they didn't seem to find anything and left to come back the next day.

When they did, this time they noticed a pungent smell in the air which they immediately recognized as the smell of a decomposing body.

Officers entered a bedroom of the house and discovered the body of 47-year-old Jose Edgardo Sorto with large slashes to his head and neck. An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be "multiple chop wounds to head and upper extremities," according to reports from Valley Central.

How Did Sorto Die?

Further investigation revealed that Soto had gotten into an argument with a roommate who allegedly stole his machete. The roommate, Hector Neptaly Reyes Mendoza, allegedly then used the machete to murder Soto some time after the argument.

A third resident, Mario Amaya, claimed that Mendoza was noticeably sweaty one day, and he was requesting money and saying he locked himself out of his bedroom. In reality, it was Mendoza's bedroom where he hid the body of Sorto and was trying to create an alibi.

Amaya Tied to the Case

Amaya was caught spinning the truth when interviewed by detectives, and after they searched his vehicle, evidence was found potentially linking him to the crime as well.

Amaya was called for trial in March of 2025 but failed to appear as ordered.

Hector Neptaly Reyes Mendoza was found guilty in the death of Jose Edgardo Sorto and was sentenced to 60 years in prison with a credit of 353 days from his time spent in jail.