Garland father of 3 killed while investigating break-in of his work van

A father of three was killed outside his own apartment Wednesday night, and now his family is pleading for answers.

Clifford Wicker Jr. went to check on his work van just before midnight after a neighbor told him someone broke into the vehicle.

When he went outside to check it out, he was shot and killed.

“He just jumps up and runs downstairs, and his wife is over the balcony looking and he hears them arguing, and next thing she says, she hears about seven to eight gunshots,” said Ashley Wicker, Clifford's sister.

Ashley Wicker says her sister-in-law ran downstairs and covered Clifford's body with a blanket.

This happened outside the Pecan Knoll Apartments, between E. Centerville Rd. and Dairy Rd.

As detectives continue processing evidence and canvassing the surrounding area for other surveillance video, they’re asking anyone with surveillance cameras facing Dairy Rd., between Highway 66 and Broadway Blvd., to review their video.

Police believe a gold or tan four-door car, possibly a Crown Victoria, may have been involved. It was spotted in the area between 11 p.m. and midnight Wednesday.

“You could’ve just took the tools and left. You didn’t have to kill my brother. That’s the only brother I had,” she added.

“These suspects are dangerous. If they’re willing to shoot someone over property, they’re somebody we want to get off the street as quickly as possible,” said Pedro Barineau, with Garland PD.

"I’m devastated. Like, why did they have to do this to him? He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve this," said Ashley Wicker. "He has three young children and a wife. He works very hard for everything he has.“

She said he had just returned home from work as a plumber before the shooting.

As family members console each other, they remember a loving husband and father with a big heart who leaves behind three children, ages six, four, and the youngest, who just turned one this month.

Jayson Turner, the president of the company where Wicker worked as a plumber, released a statement saying:

Garland police said there is a $5,000 Crime Stoppers reward for any information that leads to the person or persons responsible for this murder.