On Aug. 29, 1998 a country legend shot and killed a man he says was breaking into his mother’s home. Prosecutors told a very different story.

It happened in Sabinal, Texas, a small town west of San Antonio. The victim was 26-year-old Israel Borrego. The shooter was a man with nearly 20 Top 10 country hits, six of which hit No. 1.

Johnny Rodriguez didn’t dispute shooting Borrego. According to news reports from the trial, his attorney argued that the singer believed Borrego (known as “Bosco”) to be a burglar. He feared for his safety when he pulled the trigger.

The District Attorney said Rodriguez and Borrego were much closer than that. In fact, he’d state that the two men were drinking together with others just right across the street hours before the 4AM hour killing.

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The younger of the two men would often get drunk and “sleep it off” at Rodriguez’s home, Anton Hackebeil said. His wife wouldn’t let him back in the house.

In December 1988, Texas Monthy did a profile on the incident, interviewing Rodriguez with his attorney, and Borrego’s wife. Both men struggled with alcohol — in fact, Rodriquez would say this is what killed his career after his 1970s peak.

Borrego’s blood alcohol level at the time of his death was a staggering .331.

Several people told the magazine that this group were drinking buddies, with one suggesting that Borrego had wandered across the street to North Pickford St. home to cook everyone breakfast. Attorney Alan Brown would downplay the relationship.

A damning piece of evidence surfaced in the magazine’s article: They cite the police officer’s report that says at the time of his arrival, “an individual by the name of Johnny Rodriguez was physically assaulting said victim and stating in abusive language that nobody comes into my mother’s house.”

The jury didn’t believe it. On Oct. 13, 1999, Rodriquez was acquitted.

“The first thing that I thought of was that I can be a father to my baby now,” Rodriguez said, according to The Austin American-Statesman, referring to 18-month-old Aubry Rae.

“I think my mind will be a little more clear now. I think I’m going to cut back on the drinking, too. I’ve learned a little about that.”

Over the next 25 years, Rodriguez would continue to perform and sporadically record. He died on May 9, 2025 at age 73.