LUBBOCK, Texas — The family of 40-year-old David Perez shared memories of his life and asked the public to come forward with information about who murdered him on Tuesday morning.
Perez was shot and killed in his home near 19th Street and Avenue M early Friday morning.
“It’s just unfair,” his teenage daughter, Abigail, cried.
Abigail said she has two other siblings, including a younger sister who was too grief-stricken to be interviewed.
Her mother, Victoria Freeman, read a message off of her phone that her youngest daughter wanted to share.
“She wanted me to say this [regarding] how she felt about her dad: ‘He was just a great guy, great man, great dad.’ She has a lot of great memories with him; and so, that’s what she wants to always remember – is the memories.”
David’s younger brother, Steven Perez, recalled the days when he bribed his older brother for trips to the mall, listened to rock music together, and gave each other advice on how to beat video games.
“He was the person who got me into music. He got me into video games- into basically everything that I like now. Everything he did, I mimicked, and I couldn’t ask for a better brother,” Steven said.
David worked at Cast Iron Grill in Lubbock, and by all accounts, loved his job and the people he worked with, his family shared.
“When he started working at Cast Iron, he was a totally different person. He was happy. He would tell us all the time. I’d ask him, ‘Hey, how’s work?’ and he goes, ‘Oh man, it’s really good.'” Steven remembered. “That couldn’t make me more happy- to know that everybody there loved him and that he was happy- knowing that he was there laughing with his friends.”
Abigail said there is one way people can honor her dad’s memory.
“Whenever you do get the chance to see ones that you can’t, take the time and opportunity, and enjoy it.”
On Tuesday morning, the Lubbock Police Department released an image of a black four-door sedan it is searching for in connection with the crime. The car was seen in the area around 5:30 in the morning on Friday, Jan. 13th.
“Just help us find out who did this to my brother,” Steven pleaded.
The Lubbock Police Department also asked the public to come forward with information. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Crimeline at 806-741-1000. Callers can remain anonymous.
The family said David did not have life insurance and they are waiting to move forward with a funeral home until they have the means to pay for a memorial service.
If you’d like to help offset some of the costs, you can donate to the family’s GoFundMe here.
