A father said he’s clinging to the memory of his son, who was taken too soon.

“My son is with me, next to me and next to my daughter,” Arturo Sauceda said. “Every day I talk to my son.”

Sauceda’s son — Arturo Alexis Sauceda — was 18 years old when he was fatally shot on July 22, 2023, in San Perlita.

Arturo was going into his senior year as a starting lineman for the Santa Rosa High School football team when he died.

Arturo’s stepfather — Jose Villalobos — was convicted of killing Arturo on Thursday. A judge sentenced him to serve 40 years in prison on charges of murder and aggravated assault.

READ MORE: San Perlita man gets 40 year prison sentence after killing stepson

Sauceda said the outcome of the trial doesn't bring him closure.

“I'm not that happy because this trial isn't going to bring my son back,” Sauceda said. “It's not going to bring him back, and I still feel the same."

The teen's mom — Lydia — was also shot but survived. She and other relatives told the jury that Villalobos often pointed a weapon at her.

Lydia testified that on the night of the shooting, she and Villalobos were outside their home drinking when he pointed a gun at her.

RELATED STORY: Defense team questions mother of San Perlita teen allegedly killed by stepfather

According to Lydia, her son walked out of the home to check in on her when Villalobos had the gun pointed at her.

When she told her son she was OK, Arturo turned to go back inside the home. Villalobos then “snapped” and shot her and Arturo. 

“In that trauma, her memory is a little bit difficult,” Willacy County Assistant District Attorney Lucia Regalado said. “But what we do know is that Arturo Alexis was found on the other side of the steps, and there's only one person who shot that weapon.”

Tears filled the courtroom during victim impact statements.

Arturo's younger sister told him he took her one and only brother away. Through tears, she said she missed out on watching her brother play football his senior year.

Sauceda said he continues to feel the pain and loss of his son.

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