Altercation over household chores leads to shooting south of Copperas Cove

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

A Kempner man is in the Bell County jail on a $1 million bond after shooting a roommate during an argument at a residence in the 3400 block of Upton Drive in the Wells Ranch subdivision, just south of Copperas Cove. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Bell County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to the 3400 block of Upton in Kempner, on Wednesday, April 13 in reference to a shooting that occurred. Upon arrival at 10:16 p.m., deputies located Ian Drew St. Joseph Valderrama exiting a shed in the backyard of the residence. 

The victim, Steven Ray Wilson, was found dead in the dining room of the home and appeared to have died from a gunshot wound. Deputies recovered a shotgun with one spent shell in the chamber.

“The suspect’s parents owned the residence and suspect had invited the victim to move in several days earlier in an effort to help the victim. Suspect stated he had been friends with the victim for a short while and both had begun arguing over various household chores,” the arrest reported stated. “Suspect denied ever being in a physical confrontation in the past with the victim. Suspect and victim had been arguing over a broken car part in victim’s vehicle.”

The deputy stated that the argument had begun around 2 p.m. that afternoon, and continued on and off when the suspect returned home at 6 p.m.

Then, around 10 p.m., Valderrama observed the victim in the backyard putting items in a fire and they argued. A witness, another roommate, heard the arguing as both returned inside the residence. 

“Suspect had been carrying a shotgun while outside and kept the weapon in hand when they both entered the home. Suspect states he asked the victim to ‘leave me alone’ as suspect began cleaning dishes in the sink. The witness came out of her room and observed the argument. Victim went to his room and returned a short while later. Suspect and witness heard the victim begin shouting at the suspect in (an) escalating manner.” 

Valderrama claimed that the victim “came around the counter and just sort of bowed up with his shoulders” and Valderrama “...brought up [the shotgun] and it just went off.”

The witness said her back was turned when the shooting occurred, that she was surprised by the shooting, and that she was unaware that suspect had a firearm and that the suspect was “that scared.” 

She stated the two had been bickering constantly the past several days but there had been no physical violence. 

Investigators asked Valderrama if he’d contacted law enforcement about the issues he was having with the victim, and he replied “l was about to.” He also couldn’t give a reason for shooting the victim other than the victim was upset, shouting, and approaching him. Investigators noted they did not observe a significant difference in size between victim and suspect. 

Valderrama consented to a search of his phone and investigators located relevant text messages from the night of the murder, such as a text two his mother about two hours before the shooting, that “Mom you need to text Steven that he’s no longer welcome here or l’m going to f****** shoot him..” and “I don’t want him (victim) here anymore because all he’s going to do is piss me off to the point where I either f****** stab him shoot him or hurt him very badly.” 

Valderrama remained in the Bell County Jail as of Wednesday.