A 55-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison after admitting to a deadly stabbing more than two years ago at a south Lubbock apartment.
Reginald Fountain, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since February 2023, appeared in the 137th District Court and pleaded guilty to a count of manslaughter, in connection with the Feb. 10, 2023, stabbing death of 43-year-old Mario Garza, Jr.
Manslaughter carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.
He was initially charged with murder, which carries a punishment of five years to life in prison.
His charge stems from a Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began after Lubbock police responded to a 5:12 p.m.disturbance at an apartment complex in the 6500 block of Avenue T.
Responding officers found a man, later identified as Garza, suffering from multiple stab wounds in an apartment unit. Garza died at the scene, according to an arrest warrant.
A witness told police he saw Fountain, whom he only knew as “Reginald,” fighting with Garza. The witness told investigators Reginald was armed with a large knife. Moments later, he reportedly heard Garza say he’d been stabbed.
The warrant did not disclose what the men fought about.
The witness said he saw Reginald exit the residence and enter his vehicle before driving it north on Avenue T.
Another witness told investigators he had seen Fountain, whom he knew as “Reggie” at the apartment the past several days looking for drugs, the warrant states. He said he heard a door slam and saw Fountain running toward his truck.
Investigators showed both witnesses a picture of Fountain from his driver’s license and both men identified Fountain as the suspect.
Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Fountain, who was found in the 1500 block of 29th Street.
He was arrested without incident and booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock man sentenced to 15 years in 2023 stabbing death
Reporting by Gabriel Monte, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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