Grandfather robbed, murdered in driveway of his Mesquite home
MESQUITE, Texas - Mesquite police are looking for a person of interest in connection with the murder of a man during a robbery outside his home Thursday night.
Police released photos of a man they believe was involved. He was seen wearing a black ‘Lucille Ball’ sweatshirt.
Family members say 50-year old Raul Garcia-Torres was a hard-working grandfather and husband. He was just coming home from work around 6 p.m. when he was gunned down in his driveway.
Raul Garcia-Torres has been a part of Blanca Mendez’s family ever since he married her mother more than 17 years ago. Family members describe him as a caring husband and loving grandfather to 15 grandchildren. They all recently spent Christmas together as a family — not knowing it would be their last.
“He would make a lot of friends. Everywhere he would go, he would make a lot of friends,” Mendez said. “He would talk a lot.”
Mendez says Garcia-Torres was just returning home from work Thursday night on the 2600 block of Larchmont Drive. Mesquite police believe he was confronted by an armed robber in his driveway and fatally shot. His wife was inside the house and heard the shooting, but she wasn’t hurt.
“Why? Why did he do this?” Mendez said. “He could’ve just taken the money. His wallet. But he took a lot from us. He took a lot from my mom.”
Police released images of a person of interest who may be involved. The man was seen wearing a black Lucille Ball sweatshirt. Because of the open and active investigation, police aren’t saying how the possible suspect may be connected to the shooting or where he was seen on surveillance cameras.
Garcia-Torres’ family hopes someone will recognize the person of interest and lead them to the killer.
“He doesn’t know how much he really took from us,” Mendez said. “Material things just come and go, but he really took a lot. He took my mom’s heart.”
At this point, police don't believe the crime is connected to any others in the city.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.