San Antonio – Two San Antonio daughters are desperate for answers as a murder mystery surrounds the death of their father while he was on his way to work.
Francisco Mendoza, 51, died after crashing his truck into a fence on West Hermine Boulevard due to being shot in the side.
His daughters, who asked not to be identified as the shooting suspect is still at large, said they are devastated to lose such a good man.
“He was a great man,” said his older daughter. “He was a great father even though he didn’t have a father growing up. He showed us a completely different side from what he was used to having when he was younger.”
She said he was an amazing husband to his wife, who he was married to for 31 years.
He was also a hardworking electrician.
“He would help anyone who needed it,” she said. “Whether it was fixing their cars or doing something plumbing-related, he was there.”
They said he was also very humorous.
“He would always make jokes,” said his youngest daughter. “He was very sarcastic. The way he got my mother is because he would make so many jokes.”
San Antonio police said around the time the crash was reported, neighbors had called saying gunshots had been fired.
It is something Mendoza’s daughters said happens often.
“I know it may not be the gun, but it is the people that do it and it is always people choosing violence that makes sad,” his older daughter said. “So many things happening that you don’t even know when it is going to be your last day. That is why I tell people please, if you have your mom, dad, siblings, tell them you love them because you truly don’t know when it will be the last time you are going to see them alive.”
Police are looking at surveillance footage to see if they can identify the suspect or suspects responsible for the shooting.
In the meantime, the family is asking anyone who may have seen something to call SAPD’s Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635.
“Even if they get caught, we are not going to have him back, but we can stop those people from doing it to another family,” his older daughter said.
