Police have identified the suspect who fatally shot a 79-year-old man outside the victim's Bay-Ho area workplace, possibly during a failed carjacking attempt, the San Diego Police Department said Friday.
SDPD re-arrested Francisco Xavier Villegas, 21, who was already being held at San Diego Central Jail for unrelated charges, after allegedly opening fire on Jose Quirin of San Diego around 5 a.m. Tuesday as the older man was sitting in his parked car in front of an office building in the 4400 block of Morena Boulevard, according to police.
Following the gunfire, the shooter fled on foot in an unknown direction, and the victim drove off, traveling about a mile to the south before stopping at a McDonald's restaurant near the intersection of Garnet Avenue and Interstate 5 in Pacific Beach, Lt. Jud Campbell said.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Patrol officers flagged down by employees from McDonald's found Quirin inside, suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Homicide detectives believe that the shooter opened fire after his attempt to take Quirin's SUV failed.
"When the victim did not immediately surrender his vehicle, the (assailant) fired at least one round from a firearm through the driver's-side window glass, striking the victim and causing his injuries,'' the lieutenant said.
Local
Villegas, who was arrested for an alleged probation violation on May 4, was being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Monday. Officers then booked Villegas for murder on May 5.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
