Man stabbed his 62-year-old friend multiple times with a sword, then told 911 he found the ‘stairway to heaven’
Background: A section of Englewood Drive in San Antonio, Texas (Google Maps). Inset: Joseph Aleman (Bexar County Sheriff's Office).
Posted For: Hauviette
A Texas man has been sentenced to decades in prison after fatally attacking a friend with a sword and then calling police to report the killing.
**Joseph Aleman, 34, received a 56-year prison sentence for the murder of his friend, **Victor Ochoa, according to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. A jury had previously found Aleman guilty of murder.
Prosecutors said that on Aug. 26, 2022, Aleman and Ochoa, 62, were at Aleman’s home in San Antonio, Texas, when Aleman stabbed Ochoa multiple times with a sword. Aleman then called 911 and told dispatchers he had killed someone.
When officers arrived, Aleman reportedly made unusual statements to authorities, including claiming he had discovered a “stairway to heaven,” according to local NBC affiliate WOAI. Police said he led them into the home and showed them Ochoa’s body. Aleman was arrested at the scene.
Investigators later learned Aleman also had an outstanding warrant related to an earlier alleged kidnapping. In April 2022, he was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, forcing her into his home, and holding her there against her will. Court documents indicated Aleman was suffering from paranoid beliefs at the time, including the claim that the woman had killed his mother and buried her beneath his house.
Aleman was initially found incompetent to stand trial in both cases and was treated at a state hospital. After treatment, a judge ruled in 2025 that he was competent to proceed, allowing the murder case to go forward. He is scheduled to face trial in January 2026 on the kidnapping charge.
“I am incredibly proud of the prosecution team’s unwavering commitment to this case,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said after the sentencing. “Their dedication ensured that every fact was brought to light and ultimately, the truth prevailed in court.”
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