Lubbock man sentenced in 2022 murder case

A 26-year-old man was sentenced Friday to 40 years in prison after admitting to shooting a woman in the head, leaving her for dead on the road south of Lubbock before her body was struck by a vehicle.

Isaiah Sanchez appeared Friday before District Judge John McClendon and pleaded guilty to a count of murder in connection with the Dec. 20, 2022 death of 40-year-old Monica Lumbrera.

Murder carries a punishment of five years to life in prison. However, Sanchez's prior convictions for burglary of a habitation, being a felon in possession of a firearm and attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon enhanced his punishment range to 25 years to life in prison.

Sanchez, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since his Dec. 22, 2022, arrest, will have to serve half of his prison sentence before he becomes eligible for release on parole.

Sanchez's case stemmed from a Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began with what was initially reported as a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian. The driver of the vehicle called 911 initially believing he'd struck an animal.

Lubbock County Sheriff's deputies responding about 6 a.m. to the call found Lumbrera was laying on a County Road.

However, an initial investigation indicated Lumbrera was already laying on the road before being struck by a vehicle.

"From the evidence at the scene it became apparent that she had died before she got hit by the vehicle," said prosecutor Eddie Wharff.

He said the case was a result of "some good detective work."

Investigators tracked down Lumbrara's whereabouts before her death and found evidence that Lumbrera was last seen with Sanchez and another woman hours before her body was discovered.

Evidence on Lumbrera's person included a key for a room at the Executive Inn

Investigators confirmed that Lumbrera booked a room at the motel and security camera footage showed her, Sanchez and another woman going in and out of the motel room in the hours leading up to her death.

Meanwhile, witnesses told investigators that Sanchez told them he shot Lumbrera in the face. Witnesses also told investigators that Sanchez reportedly appeared unshaken as he described what he did.

Investigators collected Lumbrera's cellphone that contained images of Sanchez with a silver handgun that matched the description of the weapon witnesses reportedly told investigators Sanchez used to kill Lumbrera.

The witnesses told investigators that Sanchez said he killed Lumbrara because he believed she set him up to be attacked by two men at the Carriage House Motel, the warrant stated.

The woman, who was not identified in the probable cause affidavit, told investigators she drove Sanchez and Lumbrera to an area south of Lubbock and dropped them off within a mile from where Lumbrera's body was found. She said Sanchez was upset with both her and Lumbrera and she was concerned he was going to become violent with Lumbrera, the warrant states.

Sanchez's attorney, Jeff Nicholson said the prior to the shooting his client and Lumbrera had argued about mutlple things.

"The testimony of the second female in the car, and then also one of the conversations my client had with detectives there was an argument going on of some kind (between Lumbrera and Sanchez) that probably actually covered several things," he said. "And kind of depending on reading hundreds of pages of reports, these seem like the type of argument where once people arrive at some perceived conclusion of this issue, another issue is raised. So, specifically, what went on, as far as it being one specific thing (that led to the shooting), I don't necessarily believe that was the case. I think it was just the totality of the circumstances."

Nicholson said Sanchez regrets his actions.

"I believe wholeheartedly that he was remorseful and not remorseful that he got caught," he said. "I believe that he was remorseful on the entire matter."

Wharff said he spoke with Lumbrera's family who he said were satisfied with the plea offer.

"They were happy for the possibility to get closure," he said. "At this point they just wanted to put it behind them."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock man sentenced in 2022 murder case