By: Madeleine Hall & Haleigh Hinojosa
Bryan Garcia, 20 (LPD News Release)
Police are offering the public $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of murder suspect Bryan Garcia, 20, following a shooting that on Nov. 12 in North Lubbock.
According to a news release from the Lubbock Police Department, Garcia is wanted in the murder of 28-year-old Paul Saiz. Police are also searching for a silver Toyota Camry, model year 2018 through 2022, with damage to the driver’s-side bumper and a non-functioning taillight.
On the evening of Nov. 12, police responded to a shots-fired in the 2500 block of Loyola Street. While enroute to the scene, additional calls were received for shots fired along North University Avenue involving a vehicle the was possibly related to the incident.
According to a news release, police located a vehicle stopped at North University Avenue and Regis Street – inside was a male with a gunshot wound.
EMS responded and pronounced the male, later identified as Saiz, deceased on scene.
The police report states the suspect intentionally fired an unknown number of shots into the vehicle and then fled the scene and has yet to be caught.
Photo of Paul Saiz (Facebook)
Daniel Favila, Saiz’s father, said the incident began when Saiz crashed into the Camry and fled the scene; the driver of the Camry then began following Saiz; shooting at Saiz’s.
“You accidentally get in a car accident, and you don’t think that someone’s just going to automatically start shooting at you,” Emelia Mariscal, Saiz’s fiancée, said.
Mariscal spoke through tears as she explained her history with Saiz that began in the fifth grade but were reunited as adults. They had been together for about five years and were working on getting married through the Catholic church when incident occurred.
On the night of the shooting, she said she received a call from Saiz’s sister informing her that Saiz had been shot. Confused and with little information, Mariscal said she began calling the police and local hospitals in Plainview, but it wasn’t until Mariscal went to Facebook and read a news alert that she finally received information.
Later, after a two-hour wait near the scene of the crime, Favila received confirmation that the victim was his son, Saiz. He then broke the news to Mariscal in a phone call.
“I was in so much disbelief because I was waiting for him to come home,” Mariscal said.
After learning the details of the crime, an area neighbor said he is not concerned with his neighborhood but is more cautious of other drivers on the road.
“I thought it was odd,” the area resident said. “We’ve lived here for about two years, and I’ve had zero problems with any type of crime whatsoever.”
Favila said he and his family are looking for closure and are hopeful someone will come forward with information soon.
“My son didn’t deserve to be killed like this, they could have just called the police,” Favila said.
Photo of Paul Saiz (Facebook)
The Lubbock Police Department is encouraging anyone with information on the location of Garcia to call Crime Line at 741-1000. Callers may remain anonymous and information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward, according to the press release.
“It hurts a lot, Paul still had a lot to do,” Mariscal said. “I would like for [anyone with information] to call the Crime Line because this man can take someone else’s father, brother, son away from them just like they took ours.”
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