‘Can I kill an illegal human?’: Texas man’s apparent tragedy turns into a murder investigation after incriminating Google search is found

Content warning: This article mentions suicide and intimate partner violence.

Luis Banos Norberto, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was found dead at his apartment near Houston, TX from a gunshot wound to the face in an apparent suicide in January. Now, Norberto’s fiancé, Ty Vaughn has been arrested and charged with killing him.

Vaughn’s arrest came after authorities discovered, along with other evidence, that Vaughn Googled “Can I kill an illegal human?” just hours before his fiancé was killed. Vaughn, who called the police to report that he discovered Norberto’s body, is also now charged with staging Norberto’s alleged murder scene to make it appear as if he took his own life, according to Houston news outlet KTRK.

Vaughn said they’d been fighting

Googled 'Can I kill an illegal human?' before fiancé's death. Ty Vaughn, 31, shot 27-year-old Luis Banos Norberto in the face on Jan. 14 and then tried to make it look like a suicide.#USPolitics #USNEWS #ice #iceraids https://t.co/gYdNCwPsgY

— Nickie Kane for NY (@NickieKane4NYC) March 10, 2025

Vaughn, 31, reportedly told the police he and Norberto, who was 27 when he died, had been fighting when he returned home and found him dead in their apartment. Norberto’s body was found with a rifle propped against his arm, and a torn-up picture of Norberto and Vaughn nearby.

However, surveillance footage from Norberto and Vaughn’s apartment complex told a different story. The footage showed Vaughn arriving at the apartment around 4 am on Jan. 14 when he’d previously told the police he wasn’t there, and around the same time neighbors told police they heard shots fired.

Meanwhile, about 30 minutes later, Vaughn texted Norberto’s phone, “Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!” when authorities now allege Norberto was already dead. Vaughn called 911 about an hour later, at the time when he at first said he arrived at the apartment, and said, “My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over.”

Norberto’s immigration status

"TX man asked Google, “Can I kill an illegal human?” before slaughtering his undocumented fiancé and staging crime scene to look like suicide… Ty Vaughn, 31, accused of shooting Luis Banos Norberto in face in their Baytown apt… and gave interviews to media before arrest." https://t.co/clfTWnX6B2 pic.twitter.com/Wwp2kkBGEj

— Rena (@XGirlNYC) March 10, 2025

Court documents also now reveal Vaughn Googled “Can I kill an illegal human?” just hours before Norberto’s death, a chilling question amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. During the initial investigation, Vaughn reportedly mentioned Norberto’s immigration status several times, unprompted, when police questioned him. It’s not immediately clear if an official motive for Norberto’s suspected murder has been determined. It’s also unclear how long Vaughn and Norberto had been together when Norberto died.

KTRK spoke with Vaughn about his fiancé’s death before he was declared a suspect in the case. Vaughn reportedly said “I’ve been kind of not great.” When KTRK said they were sorry for his loss, Vaughn responded, “I mean, it is what it is.” Vaughn has now been charged with first degree felony murder, and is in custody at the Harris County Jail on a $500,000 bond. He’s expected to appear in court on Mon. March 10.

At his initial court hearing, the judge ordered Vaughn to wear a GPS tracking device if released on bond. Vaughn is expected back in court on April 30. Norberto was born in Guerrero, Mexico, his obituary says. A GoFundMe started to help cover funeral costs called him “talented, artistic, creative, and such a hard worker. If you knew him, you know he was a true angel and kind soul, he deserved so much more than what this world gave him.”

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or if you believe someone you know is being abused, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE or spoken with online via the hotline’s website. Mobile phone owners can also text “START” to the number 88788

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. A list of international crisis resources can be found here.