Texas mechanic ‘ambushed’ and ran over $500 repair bill: family

A married Houston mechanic with two children was ambushed, chased and shot in execution style two days before Christmas over a dispute with a customer over a $500 repair bill , according to the victim’s family.

Luis Manuel Casillas, 29, was found shot dead in the 7600 block of the North Freeway in Houston on Friday afternoon, the ABC13 news station reported.

Sandy Casillas, Manuel’s sister, told the outlet that she learned from witnesses that her brother had an argument with a client whose truck he fixed.

The customer, who has not been named, showed up at Casillas’ body shop accompanied by five men and reportedly refused to pay the money he owed.

As the situation escalated, Casillas allegedly told his client to just get in his truck and drive away, but the confrontation then turned violent.

“My brother started running,” his sister Sandy Casillas told the station. “He went through every side business he could go through. They caught up with him and shot him in the head. (At close range. They brought him to his knees and shot him in the head.

The sister said her brother pleaded for his life, telling the gunmen, “I have a family, take what you want”, but they ignored his pleas, according to KHOU11.

Casillas died of his injuries in a hospital. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters aged 2 and 3.

His family said Casillas had already bought Christmas gifts for his children and planned to use the $500 from the repair bill to finish his holiday shopping.

“Santa came with dad, but Santa came, but not dad,” Sandy said.

Relatives of the victim gathered on Christmas Day at the scene of the crime to demand that those who killed the father-of-two be held accountable for their actions.

“I’ll be damned if I let this thing get cold,” Casillas’ sister said. “My brother will get justice.”