HOUSTON – A sense of relief for the family of a man gunned down outside of a southwest side restaurant. Houston Police say the suspect turned himself in Thursday.
The shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. on Sept. 11 outside of the Mariscos 713 restaurant on Beechnut Street.
On that day, the victim’s family arrived to a devastating scene and was too devastated to speak at the time. With justice now in clear view, the victim’s brother is opening up to KPRC 2.
“You see it on TV, and you don’t realize that that could ever happen,” Carlos Valera said.
Valera is speaking out for the first time about the brutal killing of his brother, 42-year-old Paul Farias.
On Thursday, Farias’ suspected killer, 42-year-old Luis Roberto Molina Cruz, turned himself into authorities, but Valera said this is just the first step in the fight for justice.
“Justice to me is he took the life of my brother … let him rot in jail,” Valera said.
Houston Police released what they said were images of Cruz and the gray Honda Civic he got away in. They said the photos showed the moments after he walked up to Farias as he was sitting outside of the restaurant. Officials said they got into an argument, and Cruz shot Farias. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“When they called me, I was like no it can’t be. He’s probably at work and my sister was the one most in shock and his wife,” Valera said.
Valera soon realized the bad news was true.
“To see him lying there … and when they told me what had happened … I could not believe a person would do that,” he said.
As Farias’ family braces for the day they’ll see Cruz in court, they reflect on their loved one’s spirit.
“He’s very well known in that area, likes to play soccer,” Valera said, adding his brother was a father of four who worked construction, loved his family, and was adored by friends.
“We’re not the type of people that look for problems, not the type of people that create problems. We’re here just to be with our family, enjoy,” Valera said.
At last check, Cruz was being held on the murder charge at the Harris County Jail. His bond set at $500,000.
