A Houston family had a heartbreaking Christmas after their loved one, Luis Manuel Casillas, a mechanic, was shot and killed two days before the holiday.
A husband, a brother, and a father to two young girls, Casillas, 29, showed up at his auto repair shop on Friday afternoon, located in the 7600 block of North Fwy. in Houston.
The mechanic had been planning to collect money from a client for repairing a truck. When the client, who has not been identified, came to pick up his vehicle, he reportedly arrived with five other men.
The man apparently refused to pay the $500 he owed Casillas for the repairs. Instead, the man and his accomplices reportedly became aggressive. Casillas told them to just take the truck before leaving himself.
Casillas’ family claim that his killers chased him down and shot him in the head. He later died at the hospital from his wounds.
Sandy Casillas, Luis’ sister, told Fox News that the money had been intended to be put towards Christmas presents for his daughters, aged 2 and 3.
“They didn’t just take $500.00; they took a life. They took our life. They took a father,” she said.
Dozens of friends and family members met on Sunday to speak about Luis Casillas at the same location he was killed. Friends and family gave tearful speeches as they remembered him and called for justice.
In her grief, Sandy Casillas stated that it had been difficult to sleep, eat, and even speak at times. She attested to her brother’s excellent character, remembering how her brother always offered to help others selflessly.
“They took our happiness; they took our joy. They took our heart, and it’s not fair,” she said.
Her brother’s death, just two days before Christmas, has caused distress for the entire family.
“He loved the holidays,” Casillas said. “If you had the honor of knowing my brother, the holidays were everything for him.”
She swore that she would fight for justice for her brother and his family.
“They took out AK-47s; they took out guns. To those six individuals — you know who you are — I will find you!” Casillas promised. “Justice will be done for my brother and his family.”
Anyone with information is requested to come forward. They may either call the police or contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or visit the Crime Stoppers website. Callers may remain anonymous.
The shooting on Friday in Houston parallels the trend of perseverent violent crime in Dallas and the metroplex. Citizens have voiced concerns throughout the year that authorities are failing to enforce the law and ensure public safety. Refer to reporting by The Dallas Express for up-to-date coverage of these issues.
