Luis Manuel Casillas Houston auto mechanic murdered over $500 repair bill that customer had contested. No suspects or arrests to date.
‘You don’t do that to any human beings’. An auto mechanic from Houston was ambushed, chased and shot dead execution-style over a dispute with a client about a $500 repair bill, according to the victim’s family.
Luis Manuel Casillas, 29, was found fatally shot in the 7600 block of North Freeway in Houston on Friday afternoon, just two days before Christmas, ABC13 reported.
Sandy Casillas, Manuel’s sister, told the outlet that she learned from witnesses that her brother had gotten into an argument with a customer whose truck he had repaired.
The customer, who has not been named, showed up at Casillas’ body shop accompanied by five men and allegedly refused to pay the money he owed.
As the situation escalated, Casillas allegedly told his client to just take his truck and leave, only for the confrontation to take a violent turn.
‘Santa showed up, but Daddy didn’t’
‘My brother started running,’ Sandy Casillas told the station. ‘He ran through all the side businesses he could run through. They did catch up to him, and they shot him in the head. (Point) blank. They put him on his knees, and they shot him in the head.’
The sister claimed that her brother begged for his life, telling the gunmen, ‘I have a family, just take whatever you want,’ but they ignored his pleas, according to KHOU11.
Casillas died from his injuries at a hospital. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters, ages 2 and 3.
His family said Casillas had already bought Christmas presents for the two girls and planned to use the $500 from the repair bill to finish his holiday shopping.
‘Santa was coming with Daddy, but Santa showed up, but Daddy didn’t,’ Sandy said.
The victim’s relatives gathered on Christmas Day at the crime scene to demand that those who killed the father of two are held accountable for their actions.
‘I’ll be damned if I let this case go cold,’ Casillas’ sister said. ‘My brother will get his justice.’
No suspects identified
‘You don’t do that to any human beings,’ Casillas added. ‘You don’t do that to animals. How do you do that to my brother? What they did is not fair and if you’re the mother of those six individuals, at least be a good enough mother to turn your child in.’
Investigators told KHOU-11 that they are looking into the incident and would like to find surveillance footage of the shooting.
No suspects have been identified but the family told the outlet they think they know who the gunman might be and have shared that information with police.
Luis Casillas will be laid to rest Thursday at the Funeraria Del Angel.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
