“This brutal murder was both senseless and premeditated, and this was the right result because we were able to get justice without the family having to go through a painful and traumatic trial,” Ogg said. “This killer will now spend decades, and hopefully the rest of his life, in prison.”

An Arizona man, Marco Cobos, pleaded guilty on Friday to the fatal stabbing of 75-year-old Etta Nugent in her Sharpstown home. Cobos, 24, had stolen a truck in Arizona, driven to Houston in May 2019 to meet someone he had connected with online, but when the meeting fell through, he parked his truck in Sharpstown and began sleeping there.

Despite residents' concerns and calls to authorities, Cobos persisted in sleeping in the truck until May 19, 2019. On that day, he approached Nugent's door, seeking water and a phone charge. However, when Nugent directed him to another neighbor, he returned minutes later, forcibly entered her home, and brutally stabbed her at least 13 times over several hours until she succumbed to her injuries.

After the horrific act, Cobos did his laundry, took a shower, bought and ate a hamburger in Nugent's home, and ransacked the house. He then stole Nugent's car and checked into a local motel to sleep. Nugent's son, concerned about his mother, discovered her body, prompting an investigation by the Houston Police Department.

“This case is truly horrendous and is the worst possible nightmare for anyone who has an elderly parent living on their own,” Nguyen said. “You don’t want to believe that something like this could happen in our community, but when it does, we do everything possible to seek justice for the victim and their family.”

Returning to the crime scene the next day in Nugent's stolen car, Cobos was detained and confessed to the murder and aggravated robbery. On Friday, just before his trial, he pleaded guilty to both charges, receiving two life sentences stacked. Assistant District Attorney Lynn Nguyen prosecuted Cobos, and the plea deal ensures he will serve a minimum of 60 years before parole eligibility, with no opportunity for appeal.