A 29-year-old Honduran man was sentenced on Thursday to 70 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for fatally stabbing a man outside a Fort Worth club. Jurors deliberated just 24 minutes on Wednesday before convicting Robert Sanchez of murder for killing Sergio Gonzalez.

During the trial in state district Judge Everett Young’s court, prosecutors Lisa Callaghan, Dawn Ferguson and Dan Monte presented evidence that on March 30, 2009, Gonzalez was drinking at the La Estrellita Bar on Hemphill Street with a woman he had known for two years.

When the club closed, the woman got in the car to leave with Sanchez, her cousin, who was also at the club. Angry, Gonzalez banged on the car’s window and demanded she get out.

Sanchez got out of the car and confronted Gonzalez, who insulted him.

Sanchez then pulled out a switchblade and chased down Gonzalez, who ran when he saw the knife.

When Sanchez finally caught him, he stabbed him so hard in the chest that the knife pierced his heart, then he bragged and said he enjoyed the killing.

The jury deliberated about 1 1/2 hours in assessing the 70-year prison sentence and the maximum $10,000 fine.

Melody McDonald

Public Information Officer

Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office

401 West Belknap

Fort Worth, TX 76196

817-884-3120 (direct)

817-821-3935 (cell)

mjmcdonald@tarrantcounty.com

 Twitter: @TarrantDAOffice