Two plead guilty to kidnapping, murder

By SUSAN TAFT

Contributor to The Steel Country Bee

Jose Antonio “Jo-Jo” Ponse, of Pittsburg, and Jonathan Kyle Sanford, of Daingerfield were sentenced to 50 years in prison when they pleaded guilty to the aggravated kidnapping and murder of Ernest Lee Ibarra Jr. They entered the pleas in Titus County District Court before Judge Robert Rolston last week – Ponse on April 12 and Sanford on April 13, according to Titus and Camp County District Attorney Chuck Bailey.

Ponse and Sanford, along with another man, kidnapped Ibarra from his home in Mount Pleasant on Feb. 20, 2015. Ibarra’s wife, Samantha Nicole Wohlford, reported him missing around 2:07 that morning, according to Camp County Sheriff Alan McCandless.

“Three individuals forced their way into the house in Titus County and kidnapped Mr. Ibarra,” Sheriff McCandless said. “In addition to his wife, there were children in the home. They were all unharmed. Ponse and Sanford were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping by Titus County deputies at approximately 5 a.m.” Mr. Ponse was also arrested on outstanding warrants out of Camp and Titus counties.

“I was notified at noon that day by the Titus County Sheriff ’s Office that there had been a murder,” Sheriff McCandless said. “The body was found on County Road 4428, Sands Crossing Road. Chief Deputy Randal Lain Jr., Deputies Clay Hefner, Martin McCormick, Bo Tucker, and I responded to that location where we met with Titus County officers. Mr. Ibarra had been brought to that location in Camp County and murdered. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Harold Kennington.”

The crime scene was processed by the Camp County Sheriff ’s Office, the Titus County Sheriff ’s Office, and the Texas Rangers. Mr. Ibarra’s body was sent to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy.

“While the Rangers were processing the vehicle that had been used to transport Ibarra to Camp County, Titus County investigators went to a residence here in town where they located the pistol that was allegedly used to kill Ibarra,” Sheriff McCandless said. “About 3:30 that afternoon I learned that another suspect who was with them at the time of the kidnapping was Octavious Lamar ‘Te’ Rhymes, also known as ‘Cuz,’ who was residing at that residence. Pittsburg Police Lt. Matthew Lemarr went with me and Chief Deputy Lain to that location, and we located several pieces of evidence.”

On Feb. 23, 2015, Chief Deputy Lain retrieved murder arrest warrants for Ponse, Sanford, Rhymes and Wohlford. Wohlford was arrested that day in Mount Pleasant, and Rhymes was taken into custody three days later by the Pittsburg Police Department.

Rhymes and Wolford remain in the Titus County Jail. Rhymes’ bond is set at $1.5 million for the murder charge and $1.5 million for the aggravated kidnapping charge. Wohlford’s bond is $2 million, $1 each for the murder and aggravated kidnapping charges.

According to Mr. Bailey, the two remaining defendants are set for trial May 31.