In a small corner of Morris County, Texas, the tragic and shocking events surrounding Samantha Wohlford and the murder of her husband, Ernie Ibarra, shook the local community. What began as a seemingly ordinary family story spiraled into a tale of ambition, betrayal, and unspeakable violence.
A Love Story Turned Tragic
Ernie Ibarra met Samantha Wohlford in 2008 at a tattoo shop. The two quickly fell in love, and Samantha’s sister described them as “soulmates.” Samantha, born in 1989 as the eldest of three siblings, already had twins with a high school boyfriend by the age of 19. After meeting Ernie, she became pregnant again in 2011, giving birth to another set of twins. By 2013, the couple had a fifth child, completing their family of seven.
Ernie worked tirelessly to support his growing family, holding two jobs—manufacturing baseball bats at D-Bat and working nights at Little Caesars. Samantha, meanwhile, pursued her dream of becoming internet famous by starting a YouTube channel where she shared her life as a young mother and her personal passions. However, her focus on this endeavor strained her relationship with Ernie.
A Relationship Under Strain
The couple’s relationship was fraught with challenges. Samantha’s obsession with her YouTube channel and dreams of fame led to neglect of her family, according to her sister Abigail. Additionally, Ernie’s online gaming habits, including an in-game marriage to another player’s avatar, further fueled tensions.
Despite their troubles, the couple married in 2014. But the marriage would be short-lived. By early 2015, the relationship had deteriorated to the point where Samantha accused Ernie of abuse. While Ernie’s family denied these allegations, Samantha used them as a foundation for a chilling plot.
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The Night of the Crime
In the early hours of February 20, 2015, Samantha’s mother, Rosie Wohlford, received a frantic call from Samantha, claiming intruders had kidnapped Ernie. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found Samantha tied up, gagged, and distraught. The front door was broken, and signs of a struggle were evident, including bloodstains and a lock of hair near the door.
Samantha told investigators a harrowing story of masked intruders who tied her up and brutally beat Ernie before abducting him. However, inconsistencies in her account began to raise suspicions.
The Unraveling of a Plot
As detectives delved deeper, they discovered Samantha had met Johnathan Kyle Sanford, a recently released convict, days earlier at a hospital. Samantha had confided in Sanford about alleged abuse by Ernie. Sanford, along with Jose Antonio Ponse and Octavious Lamar Rhymes, concocted a plan to eliminate Ernie.
Initially, the group intended to frame Ernie by planting drugs in his truck. However, the plan escalated to murder. On February 19, 2015, Sanford, Rhymes, and Ponse, accompanied by Samantha and her children, purchased methamphetamine and plotted the killing. They later ambushed Ernie, brutally assaulting him before shooting him in the back of the head in a remote area of Camp County, Texas.
Evidence and Arrests
Investigators traced text messages from Samantha to Rhymes instructing him to destroy Ernie’s phone while police were tracking its signal. This, along with testimony from Sanford, who led authorities to Ernie’s body, revealed Samantha’s involvement in the crime. By late February 2015, Sanford, Ponse, Rhymes, and Samantha were all arrested and charged.
Justice Served
In April 2016, Sanford and Ponse pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 50 years in prison. Rhymes faced trial later that year, receiving a combined 93-year sentence. Samantha’s trial took place in September 2017, where she was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and murder. She received a 99-year prison sentence for murder, to be served consecutively with a 50-year sentence for kidnapping.
A Legacy of Tragedy
Samantha Wohlford’s pursuit of fame and her willingness to manipulate others for her own gain led to the devastating loss of Ernie Ibarra’s life. This case remains a chilling reminder of how ambition and deceit can culminate in unimaginable tragedy, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock.
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.
