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- [00:00]
Colin Brown
Limu Emu and Doug Limu and I.
- [00:04]
Courtney Brown
Always tell you to customize your car.
- [00:05]
Colin Brown
Insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.
- [00:07]
Courtney Brown
But now we want you to feel it.
- [00:09]
Colin Brown
Cue the Emu music.
- [00:10]
Courtney Brown
Limu Save yourself money today. Increase your wealth.
- [00:17]
Maribel Latine
Customize and save.
- [00:18]
Courtney Brown
We save. That may have been too much feeling.
- [00:22]
Colin Brown
Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings vary Underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.
- [00:31]
Courtney Brown
Today's episode is sponsored by I Know what yout Did Last Summer. Get it now on digital when five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they're forced to confront a horrifying truth. Someone knows what they did last summer and is hell bent on revenge. As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this happened before, so they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport massacre of 1997 for help. Starring Madeline Cline Chase Sue Wonders Jonah Hauer King. With Freddie Prinze Jr. And Jennifer Love Hewitt I Know what yout Did Last Summer is a perfect summer slasher, says Jordan Crucciolo of npr. Your summer is not over yet. Don't miss a killer movie night at at Home.
- [01:29]
Colin Brown
Warning the following podcast is not suitable for all audiences. We go into great detail with every case that we cover and do our best to bring viewers even deeper into the stories by utilizing disturbing audio and sound effects.
- [01:41]
Courtney Brown
Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder, and offenses against children.
- [01:47]
Colin Brown
This podcast is not for everyone. You have been warned.
- [01:52]
Courtney Brown
August 3, 2019 was your typical Saturday morning in the town of El Paso, Texas. It was warm, the sun was shining down, and the hum of traffic filled the streets as people ran their errands. With summer winding down, many residents made their way to the local Walmart. For some, back to school shopping. Within the store, parents were filling their carts with notebooks, pencils and backpacks while their children happily darted between aisles. Other people were there stocking up on groceries for the week. The McDonald's at the front of the store was filled with families grabbing a quick bite to eat. Some had stopped by the store's first convenience bank to deposit a check or withdraw some money. There were nearly 100 people inside, each with their own purpose. And like anyone who stops by a grocery store, it was a menial part of their day. But for some, it would be the last thing they would ever do before their life came to a tragic end because while everyone was shopping, a cowardly man was sitting in the parking lot with one singular purpose. To end the lives of as many Hispanic people as possible. So this is part two of the El Paso Walmart shooting. In next week's episode, we will be talking about the gunman's arrest, the trial, and the aftermath of the tragedy. So with that, I'm Courtney Brown.
- [03:20]
Colin Brown
And I'm Colin Browen.
- [03:22]
Courtney Brown
And you're listening to Murder in America. SA.
- [04:25]
Colin Brown
El Paso, Texas is filled with hardworking people, great restaurants and small businesses, plenty of celebrations and a lot of love. It's the sixth largest city in the state with a population of around 679,000 residents. It's located in far West Texas and sits right on the US Mexico border, a border it shares with the Mexican city of juarez. So about 80% of its residents are Hispanic. Because of that, it has a beautiful blend of American and Mexican cultures. In addition to celebrating American holidays like the 4th of July, the city also celebrates Mexican holidays with vibrant parades like the Dia de los Muertos parade and the Vivamos Mexico official Grito celebration which commemorates Mexican Independence Day.
- [05:11]
Courtney Brown
So for many of the people who live there, they get to honor their Mexican heritage while also embracing their life here in America. Which is exactly what makes America a beautiful country. A country with people from all different backgrounds and cultures who get to work towards the American dream while still celebrating where they have come from. But all of those things that we just mentioned about the beauty of El Paso and its residents are the exact reasons why this city was targeted in 2019. Around this time and even more so today, there are people in America who vilify immigrants. Then there's a subgroup of people who wish harm upon them. Many of these people find like minded individuals online and together they spread their hate far and wide.
- [06:00]
Colin Brown
One of those people was a 21 year old from the suburbs of Dallas. This coward who never amounted to much in his life, decided that he wanted to send a message to immigrants here in the United States. And he came up with a plan to kill as many Hispanic people as possible. For him, a place like El Paso, where the majority of people speak Spanish and have darker skin, was the perfect location to carry out his demented plan.
- [06:27]
Courtney Brown
People often refer to El Paso as the Sun City. As the majority of the year it's bright and sunny. And while that may have been the case on August 3, 2019, this day would end in complete darkness. That morning, 58 year old Maria Eugenia Lagareta Roth had entered The Walmart to do some shopping. Maria was born in Mexico in 1961. Her family was well known in the area for their restaurant and livestock business. But Maria had always dreamt of being a mother. Her four children were her pride and joy. One of her friends said she never stopped smiling. She was a wonderful woman, very dedicated to her children and a wonderful cook. End quote. At the time of our story, Maria was still living in Mexico. But that morning she drove to El Paso to pick up her 16 year old daughter Natalie from the airport. Natalie was her youngest. She had been traveling in Europe and Maria was so excited to be reunited after making the drive to El Paso. While she waited for Natalie's plane to arrive, Maria decided to stop by the Walmart to pick up a few things. Shortly after 10.30am, she walked to the front of the store, paid for her items and then walked out. But as she made her way to her car, she saw something that made her stop in her tracks. It was a young man wearing a black shirt, khaki pants, goggles, earmuffs and gloves. But the most notable thing about him was the rifle he was holding. The two locked eyes and immediately Maria knew her life was in danger. Suddenly she was staring down the barrel of his gun and the man started walking right towards her. She attempted to get away, even running behind a nearby van to shield herself. But it was too late. The gunman pulled the trigger, killing Maria instantly. Her family would later say that later that day, when they couldn't get a hold of Maria, they began to worry. And then, along with the rest of the world, they learned about the mass shooting. For hours and hours, all they could do was pray and hope that she wasn't a victim, that this was all just a misunderstanding and that she would come home. Her sister Martha even posted on social media hoping to find her. But eventually their worst fears were confirmed. Maria was one of the murder victims.
- [09:02]
Colin Brown
Now by this point, every American has had to put ourselves in that situation. What to do if you find yourself in a mass shooting? So when those first shots rang out, many people ran from the scene. Some who were leaving Walmart ran back inside thinking that the threat was contained in the parking lot. But not everyone would have their chance to get away. The gunman made his way towards another man in the parking lot. 66 year old Alexander Hoffman was born on November 8, 1952 in Germany. He served in the German Air Force and was eventually stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso. While there, he crossed the border into Mexico. And that's when he met his future wife, Rosa Maria Valdez Garcia. Together, the couple would move to Europe and have three children. But in the late 80s, they decided to move to Mexico. According to Rosa, Alexander considered Mexico his home and happily referred to himself as a Mexican. He loved James Bond, Star Trek and the Beatles. His daughter Elise described him as a gentle giant with a big heart. Now after leaving the military, Alexander found work as an engineer. And that's what he would do for the rest of his life. He absolutely loved working on different projects, even after he retired. On that morning, Alexander Hoffman had just arrived at Walmart to pick up some tools and furniture for an upcoming project. He often crossed the border to buy supplies at this very Walmart. But unfortunately, on August 3rd, it would be his last trip, as the gunmen quickly shot him down in the parking lot. Alexander was born in Germany after World War II and he often told his family how important it was to study history. He knew firsthand what could happen if you let hate fill your heart. And sadly, this very hatred that Alexander warned against is the same hatred the gunman had within himself.
- [10:53]
Courtney Brown
Directly in front of the Walmart, a children's soccer team was holding a fundraiser. 3Dads, Luis Calvio, Benny McGuire and Memo Garcia decided to create the soccer team called the El Paso Fusion Soccer Club for their young daughters. The girls on the team were aged 9 through 11. Luis was the head coach and his goal was to encourage the girls and make them feel supported in a sport that they loved. Nice job Emily, Good job.
- [11:24]
Colin Brown
To get to the top, we gotta win the battle first. I believe in you.
- [11:29]
Courtney Brown
On the morning of August 3, 2019, the team had set up a tent in the front of Walmart. They were selling Chicharones and cold drinks to fundraise for their very first out of state tournament. Over a dozen girls stood out there wearing hot pink shirts, holding signs and greeting the people walking inside. Here are some clips from that morning right before tragedy unfolded.
- [11:57]
Christopher Grant
Let's go ahead and make it happen guys. Hey Coach Memo. Woo. Heh heh. Maddie, good job, good job.
- [12:04]
Courtney Brown
One of the girls on the team was named Emily. Her father was Luis, the head coach. At one point, Luis went live on Facebook and told the players, say hi girls, tell them to come out and support. End quote. Now that morning, Luis's father and Emily's grandfather, 61 year old Jorge Calavillo Garcia, made his way to the Walmart to support the team. Jorge spent most of his life in Juarez, but had recently relocated to El Paso and worked there as an accountant. He had three children, including Luis, who was the head coach of the soccer team. But more than anything, Jorge loved being a grandparent. He was always so supportive of the EP Fusion soccer team. That morning, he had even volunteered to bring them food and water. His sister Elizabeth said, quote, he was a beautiful human being, an excellent dad, uncle, husband and brother, end quote. Around 10:30 that morning, Jorge pulled up to the EP Fusion tent and his pickup truck. Shortly before he got there, he called to place a huge order to support them. When he arrived, he immediately greeted his son and granddaughter, only to hear shots ring out. Moments later, after killing the first few people in the parking lot, the gunman started walking straight towards the little girls at the front of the Walmart. Many of the girls on the team were Hispanic, as were their parents. So it didn't matter to the gunmen that these were children. They were the exact targets he was looking for that day. And soon enough, he lifted his gun and started shooting in their direction. Instinctively, Jorge courageously shielded his granddaughter and her teammates from the bullets. In the process, he would be shot along with his son Luis and several other parents who were there. But tragically, Jorge would lose his life protecting the young girls. His sister Elizabeth would later write on Facebook, quote, it's not goodbye here, but see you soon. End quote.
- [14:22]
Colin Brown
Another person who was shot was 36 year old memo Garcia, one of the coaches of the team. Born on November 29, 1979 in El Paso, Memo was a devoted husband to Jessica and father to 11 year old Karina and 5 year old Guillermo Jr. His family gave him the nickname Tank because he was a big guy, standing at 6:3 and nearly £400. During his childhood, he was described as being a jokester and he always loved the game of soccer. Memo and Jessica both attended Mottwood High School, but Jessica would later say, I was really shy. He was older than I was. He was very outgoing. He was always funny, always smiling, always happy. I reached a point where I realized I just couldn't be without seeing him. According to family members, Memo was really good with the ladies. But the only woman he wanted was Jessica. After high school, the two wanted a fresh start. So they moved to Saline, Kansas and worked together at a pizza factory. But things were rough. In the beginning, they slept on a mattress on the floor and used black towels as curtains. However, none of that mattered to them. They were just happy to have each other. Nine years into their relationship, Memo placed a ring in a box of chocolates and then told Jessica to open it. She later laughed, saying that the piece of chocolate with the Ring was wrapped completely differently than all the others. But of course she said yes. And the two went on to live a beautiful life together. After moving back to El Paso, they stayed committed to raising their children in a loving and supportive home. And Memo was extremely active in their lives. He coached Corrina's soccer team and volunteered on Guillermo Jr. S T Ball team. For him, his children were everything. If his children had an early morning game, he would start his workday at 3am Just to make sure he could make it to their tournaments.
- [16:14]
Courtney Brown
Tragically, on the morning of August 3, when the gunfire started in the Walmart parking lot, Memo was shot three times while shielding his daughter. His wife Jessica was also shot within seconds. Witnesses reported bodies being sprawled out on the concrete. There was blood everywhere. People were screaming. The injured were groaning in agony near the tent. The drinks and food that the girls were selling covered the ground. Now, Memo Garcia was still alive after that round of gunfire. Another coach, Benny McGuire, rushed to his side. He heard him screaming that he had been hit. Blood was pouring from a gunshot wound to his hip. Here are some audio clips from outside the Walmart that morning.
- [17:05]
Colin Brown
I see Coach Memo down.
- [17:07]
Christopher Grant
I'm hit, I'm hit. And I see him like putting pressure on his hip. And I was like, keep the pressure, keep the pressure. And I look over to my left and Luis is trying to get up. So when I turn around, I'm like, somebody help. Like, somebody.
- [17:28]
Courtney Brown
When help finally arrived, Memo was brought to a hospital where he fought for his life in the icu. His wife Jessica ended up making a full recovery. But sadly, nine months after the shooting, after over 50 surgeries, Memo lost his life, becoming the final victim of this massacre.
- [17:47]
Colin Brown
Now, another parent who was outside helping with the fundraiser was Maribel Latine. When those first shots rang out, she dropped to the ground. The gunman continued shooting all around her.
- [17:59]
Maribel Latine
I just yelled the shooting. Throw yourself on the floor. We all threw ourselves on the floor. We had nowhere to run. There was nowhere, no way we could have ran out of there. I hid behind the SUV that was there behind the tire. And I looked to the front. This guy was two cars away from us, just shooting at us. And I saw him reload his gun and walk towards us again. And he just cold bloodedly came straight at us and shot us. He shot eight rounds. I had to pretend I was dead. And he was right next to me and he shot eight more rounds. And all I could say is, God, please take care of my children and please don't let him do anything to my daughter or any of the girls in our team. And it's not fair that somebody from God knows where just showed up and did something so ugly to us with so much hatred. I felt him right next to him. He was right next to him me. He wasn't breathing hard. He was the calmest person ever. He didn't say anything, just plain hatred and just anger.
- [19:27]
Courtney Brown
Maribel said that right when she thought she was about to die, the gunman walked away. She had been shot twice, but thankfully she would survive despite the immense pain she felt from her gunshot wounds. She got up to find her daughter and the other girls from the soccer team, and that's when she learned that a bakery worker from inside the Walmart had brought them to safety. Luckily, all of the young girls from the soccer team would make it out alive.
- [19:54]
Colin Brown
Adria Gonzalez would later recall that she was at the Walmart with her mother when the shooting started. Now, she was a teacher, but she married an army captain who taught her what to do in these scenarios. And because of her, she was able to bring some of these young girls to safety.
- [20:10]
Maribel Latine
We walk into the Walmart, me and my mother, as usual, normal day, and that's when we heard three gunshots. So I told my mom to wait here and see what was going on in front. That's when I saw the shooter with a black shirt, khaki pants, and with a gun. He was going towards a child maybe, if I could remember, maybe like seven, eight years old. That's when I started to shout out to everybody to follow me and to go to this exit door which is in back of Walmart. And that's where I was pushing everybody out like, we need to get out, we need to get out. People were, you know, going crazy, looking at their phones, not knowing where to go. And I was just being patient and very calm and just getting everyone out as soon as possible. I thought I was gonna die. I even called my wife and I told her, if I don't make it, I just want you to know that I love you. And I tell my family and my nieces and my nephews that I love them. And. And I. And I told her, I need to. I need to. I need to hang up. Yeah. And that was it.
- [21:48]
Colin Brown
As the chaos unfolded outside Walmart, store manager Robert Evans, who was near one of the entrances checking emails on his phone, heard the gunshots and immediately issued a code brown, which meant active shooter. Robert screamed out to everyone in the store that a man with a gun was on his way inside the building and he Tried to usher as many people as he could towards the back. Within seconds, customers and employees fled through aisles and clothing racks. People were grabbing random children and running with them to safety. There was panic as people tried to escape. Screams of run shooter. Tyros vaminos could be heard throughout the store. But not everyone heard these warnings. And if they did, for some of them, there was no time to react because before they knew it, the gunman was inside. A man named Christopher Grant was in the produce section with his elderly mother when he saw the gunman outside.
- [22:40]
Christopher Grant
I saw him standing in the parking lot and I saw him popping people off. I was inside the produce department, which is right by the front door, and I saw him popping people off and I was like, you know, this is crazy. So to deter him, I started just chunking bottles. I just started throwing random bottles at him. And I'm not a baseball player. So one went this way and one went that way and then one went right towards him. And then that's when he saw me and just started and I ducked and started. I was behind the chips and so I ducked and he just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Started firing off rounds at me and I was like, oh my God, this guy's shooting at me.
- [23:26]
Colin Brown
Eventually, Christopher was struck by a bullet.
- [23:29]
Christopher Grant
And then. So when I got hit, it was like, it was like somebody put a hand grenade in your back and pulled the pin. That's basically what it felt like, felt like. And then so I was like, oh my God, I got to get up, I got to get up, get up, get up, get up.
- [23:44]
Colin Brown
After being shot, Christopher and his mother were able to run towards the auto department. While there, he ran into a federal agent named Donna. Christopher would later say that she was his guardian angel. Donna helped patch up his wound and she even threw him into the back of a pickup truck so that he could be taken to the hospital. And luckily he would make a full recovery. But that wasn't the case for everyone.
- [24:07]
Courtney Brown
82 year old Teresa Sanchez had lived in El paso for over 30 years. She was a mother, a sister, an aunt, and a friend to many. In her earlier years, she worked as a biology teacher. But after retiring, her life slowed down a bit. However, she made sure to stay active. In 2019, Teresa and her 80 year old sister Rosa were living together. The two had been close throughout their life, and now that they were older, they had each other to lean on. On most weekends, Teresa and Rosa would go shopping in town with their niece, Rosemary Vega. And this weekend was just like any other. The Three had spent the morning browsing the aisles at Walmart, picking out their food for the week. At 10:39am they had just finished checking out and were walking towards the exit when they came face to face with the gunmen. When bullets came flying at them, Teresa, Rosa and Rosemary were all hit. Luckily, Rosa and Rosemary would survive. But after being shot three times, 82 year old Teresa would pass away. But as you can imagine, the inside of Walmart was complete chaos. And in this next clip we are going to play some audio from inside. As those first shots rang out, the people inside Walmart began to panic. Some were able to run to the back of the store, but for many there was nowhere to go as the gunman was right in front of them. 90 year old Luis Alfonso Juarez and his wife of 70 years, Martha were out shopping for groceries that morning. It's what they did every Saturday. Born in 1929, Luis had immigrated to the United States from Mexico. He got his citizenship, bought a home and he worked as an iron worker for decades. He was living out the American dream. Throughout his career, Luis helped construct multiple buildings throughout El Paso and Los Angeles and he was considered a master welder. After meeting Martha, the two got married and they went on to have seven children. From that they had 20 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren and eight great great grandchildren. Luis was proud of his family and they all loved him dearly. They described him as kind, sweet and loving. When people mistreated him, he always understood and felt that everyone was going through something, so we need to be nice to each other. He was fascinated to learn about other cultures and was always curious before he was ever angry, end quote. Luis was also very wise. Anytime someone had a problem, they always came to him because he had the best advice. In his older years, Luis retired from his welding job, but his family said that he still took on welding projects from time to time. He was very independent. He liked to keep himself busy. In fact, even though he was 90 years old, he had just painted his house. His granddaughter said, you'd think he was 20 years younger, end quote. It was a running saying within his family that he was definitely going to live past 100 given how healthy and active he was. And that very well may have been the case if Louise hadn't been in Walmart that morning. But sadly, near the front of the store, Luis was shot and killed in front of his wife. He was the oldest victim. His family would later say, quote, we can't begin to describe the pain we are all feeling right now and we are heartbroken that our grandmother's final years with her husband were so violently ripped away, end quote.
- [28:18]
Colin Brown
Inside the Walmart that morning, chaos unfolded. Like they teach in mass shooting scenarios, if you're unable to run, you hide. Which is exactly what some people did. Some hid behind merchandise clothing racks or near the cash registers up front. Here's one video that someone took from their cell phone.
- [28:39]
Christopher Grant
There's bus and guns in walmart Right now. AK Somebody's got shot.
- [28:45]
Courtney Brown
57 year old Elsa Mendoza de la Mora and her husband Antonio had arrived at Walmart that morning after crossing over the border. The two lived in Mexico and would often come to the United States to visit family and shop for groceries. Elsa and Antonio loved their life together. They had two beautiful children. Elsa was a special education teacher and a principal at an elementary school. Antonio was a professor at a university in Mexico. In Elsa's 30 years of teaching, she touched the hearts of hundreds of people. One of her colleagues said, quote, elsa was very giving and very dedicated, end quote. One of her mottos was, things done with love are done better. Antonio would later say that Elsa was, quote, the most wonderful of women, a being full of light, end quote. Now, that morning, as the two pulled into the parking lot of the Walmart, Antonio decided to stay in the car while Elsa ran inside to pick up a few things. After the gunshots rang out, Antonio saw people running from the Walmart. He then saw the bodies laying on the concrete outside. Once he understood what was happening, he desperately waited, scanning the faces of the people running outside, hoping and praying to see his wife. But even after help arrived and the survivors made their way out, Elsa was nowhere to be found. He would later find out that she had been shot and killed inside the Walmart that morning. Antonia would later write on Facebook, quote, I bid farewell to my companion, the most marvelous of women, a person full of light who will continue illuminating our way for the rest of our lives. We are going to miss you, love. End quote.
- [30:39]
Colin Brown
Courtney and I have been studying true crime for a very long time at this point, and we've told hundreds of stories here on the podcast. And as I'm sure you know, in every true crime story, it's the little details that give someone away. A receipt, a phone ping, a habit they couldn't hide. So here's a question. What's your habit saying about you? If you're ready to ditch the dead giveaways, start with Fume Zero, the better thing to reach for. This episode is sponsored by Fume Zero, the brand new grab and go flavored Air device from Fuming Fume. Now I know a lot of people out there vape or they smoke. But if you're looking to cut back and if you're looking to improve your lifestyle, Fume Zero is a great place to start. Why? Well, it's different than its competitors in a few ways. It's affordable. Just $24.99 USD for a sleek pre filled device. No commitment, no refills, no batteries. It's completely clean, which I love. It has zero nicotine, zero vapor, just natural plant based flavor flavored air and it's the first truly easy way to try the good habit. With six bold flavors and up to 10 days of use, Zero makes it simple to start. I know that I quit vaping earlier this year and I swear to God, honest to God, Fume devices played a huge part in helping me quit. So when I saw that they wanted to work with us, I wanted to spread the gospel of Fume and put people onto something that really helped me. So take zero chances with Fume Zero. Today available for just $24.99 USD. Just head to try fume.com that's T-R-Y-F u m.com to start with zero and now let's get back to our story. This episode is sponsored by better help. October 10th is World Mental Health Day and this year we're saying thank you to therapists all across the world who have helped us work through our deepest, darkest issues. As many of you know, I went through the process of getting sober a few years ago. It's almost my two year sobriety anniversary date and I honestly would not be here. I would never have been able to get sober if I hadn't found a really good therapist who could help me work through all these issues that I didn't even really know that I was having. And if you're looking to start your therapy journey, well, BetterHelp is a great place to start. BetterHelp therapists have helped over 5 million people worldwide on their own mental health journeys. That's millions of stories, millions of different journeys, and behind each one is a therapist who showed up, listened, and helped someone take a step forward. Moments in therapy, like asking the right question, having a safe space to cry, or even getting a small win can absolutely change lives. This World mental health day, BetterHelp is honoring those connections and the therapists who make them possible, while showing how easy it is to get guidance from a licensed therapist online with BetterHelp. BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the US BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences and their 10 years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate means that they typically get it right the first time. This World Mental Health Day we're celebrating the therapists who have helped millions of people take a step forward. If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey. Our listeners get 10% off their first month@betterhelp.com MIA that's betterhelp.com MIA and now let's get back to our show. Another victim who was shot and killed inside the store was 63 year old Margie K. Record. Born on August 21, 1955 in Washington, D.C. margie didn't have the easiest childhood. She married young and raised three children, Dean, Henry and Hilda, in Omaha, Nebraska. Her first husband passed away in 1995 and in the late 90s she met Antonio Bosco at a bar. Antonio told CNN that Margie kept smiling at him and he eventually got the courage to approach her and from that moment on their lives changed forever. Antonio said, me and my wife had a bond, a magnificent bond. I never felt anything like that in my life. Margie married him when she was in her 40s and despite her rough upbringing, they went on to have a beautiful life together. They traveled around the country and eventually settled in El Paso. The couple ran a local car wash in town and lived a modest but happy life. Unfortunately, Margie was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but she never let it get her down. In fact, she had recently undergone surgery and it seemed to have been successful. She was hopeful for the future. Antonio called her an angel and said she was the brains of the family. They often said their life together was like a fairy tale. Antonio said, I mean, you didn't even have to be there to talk to her. You could just look at how she was, how she acted, how she presented herself. She was an awesome lady. The two had been together for 22 years and although those years were beautiful, they didn't seem like enough. Antonio said, I've been lost. I'm like a puppy run away from its mama. She took care of me. We were going to live together and die together. That was our plan. But sadly, all those plans changed when Margie was gunned down inside of the Walmart that morning. Now we're still just seconds into the shooting and soon enough, 911 calls started pouring in, but the police just couldn't get there fast enough. After murdering Margie K. Record, the gunman approached 41 year old Leonardo Campos Jr. And his wife of 16 years, Maribel Hernandez Loya. Leonardo grew up in San Juan. In high school, he was the goalie on the Bears soccer team and the kicker for the football team. His brother David Campos, who was 15 years younger, recalled Leonardo coaching his Little league baseball team and pushing him and his teammates to excel. David told the El Paso Times, he was super tough on us, but it was worth it. It was so much fun and he made me a better player and a better man. He would tell us to never give up, no matter what life throws at you. Leonardo was described as funny and outgoing and that he loved making other people laugh, which is what caught the eye of Maribel Hernandez. Loyal, she was born in 1963 and according to her loved ones, she was the most amazing woman. She was nurturing, kind, and her warm personality touched every single person that she came into contact with. When Maribel and Leonardo met for the first time, it was obvious that they were a great match. At the time, Maribel had four children of her own, but Leonardo didn't mind. In fact, he loved her children as if they were his own. After he and Maribel got married, they made the move to el Paso in 2009, and according to his brother David, Leonardo fell in love with this city and he wanted to make a difference here. He had even recently gone back to school so he could become a teacher. Maribel was so proud of her husband. She watched him work so hard for this career change and she supported him wholeheartedly. Now, on this morning in particular, Leonardo and Maribel had just dropped off their beloved dog Fifi at the groomer. And while they waited, they decided to head to Walmart for some shopping. Later that day, the couple's grandchildren planned to stop by their house, so they wanted to buy them some school supplies for the upcoming year. But while they browsed the aisles, they came face to face with the gunman while trying to run for safety. Sadly, they were both shot dead. Sadly, their family members had no idea the couple was even at Walmart that morning. Later that day, when they failed to pick up their dog, the groomers ended up calling the couple's children. And it was in that moment where the family began to panic. By then, word of the mass shooting had spread all across the nation. So with a horrible feeling in their gut, they looked at the couple's location. And when they saw that they were At Walmart, their worst fears suddenly became a reality. Just to be safe, they even drove to the Walmart. And there in the parking lot, they found their vehicle empty, along with all the other empty, still parked cars belonging to the other victims.
- [38:53]
Courtney Brown
Back inside the Walmart, a man named Alden hall was grocery shopping. Alden was originally from New York, but at the time he was serving in the army in El Paso. The father of three heard a loud commotion moments earlier. But even though he was familiar with the sound of gunfire, he just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was hearing gunshots within Walmart.
- [39:18]
Christopher Grant
What walked through my head, the first thing was I heard the shots, so I assumed it was firecrackers. Then I noticed there was no pattern, so I assumed it was a handgun. Maybe an adolescence that was just shooting off rounds of a handgun. Then I heard a burst of 60 rounds and I knew it was assault rifle or automatic weapon. So at that point, that's why, you know, I became fragile to the situation, a little frantic.
- [39:41]
Courtney Brown
Alden had just turned down the produce aisle when he saw the shooter. According to him, the two looked each other right in the eye and he even watched the gunman smirk as he lifted his gun.
- [39:52]
Christopher Grant
When he entered the store, he gave me a smirk, so I knew he's and aimed directly towards me, so it was directly to me. And then he hit the person next to me. They were on the floor. And then after that I kind of feel like I was still targeted so I kept moving. And then after I lost the person, the shooter then apparently after that he was just shooting generally towards everybody. When you turned and took off, how quickly after that did you hear gunfire? Approximately four seconds after and hit the guy next to me. How close was the man next to him? Within the arm's length. Did he survive the first shot? Yes, but not the second shot.
- [40:29]
Courtney Brown
Alden took cover in the aisles of food, but soon enough there were dead bodies all around him. He turned to try and help them, but after realizing many of them were dead and the threat was still right there, he decided to run towards the emergency exit. Luckily, Alden would make it out alive. But the same can't be said for many others, like 41 year old Ivan Filiberto Manzano. Ivan had crossed the border from Juarez that morning to pick up a package at Walmart. He was a Mexican citizen and happily married to the love of his life, Adrianna Zandri. Together they had an eight year old son and a five year old daughter. According to his family, Ivan was A dedicated family man, a hard worker and an avid marathon runner, he was also the sole provider for his family over in Juarez. He ran a retail business which often required him to cross the border to El Paso to buy supplies for his business, which is exactly what he was doing that day. That morning, he and his aunt Patricia had crossed the border to pick up some items. Patricia decided to go to a Walmart on the west side of town and Ivan headed straight for the Silo Vista Walmart. According to his WhatsApp messages, the last message he would ever send was at 10:21am Shortly after Ivan would be shot dead. Three days after his 41st birthday. When his family got word of the shooting in El Paso and they weren't able to contact Ivan, they rushed over to a nearby elementary school where they waited for hours and then finally they got the news. When they found out that Ivan was a victim of this massacre, they were devastated. His mom, Josefina Manzano, said that he was a pillar of their family, someone she could always rely on. She said, I saw him care for his children, for his wife. We could depend on him emotionally and spiritually. And that was true. In fact, his mom, Josefina had recently had a heart attack in April. And following the incident, Ivan dropped everything to give her the care she needed, which is how he was with everyone he loved. His wife would later say that when it came to telling their children about their father's death, she couldn't even bring herself to tell them what really happened. How do you tell an 8 and 5 year old that their father was murdered in cold blood by a man who wanted to kill him strictly because of his skin color? His wife would later say that instead she told her kids that Ivan was in an accident. And one day, when they're ready, she'll tell them the truth about what really happened.
- [43:19]
Colin Brown
Also in the Walmart that morning was 66 year old Sarah Esther Regaldo Morial and her husband, 68 year old Adolfo Ceros Hernandez. Both were from Mexico. They had three daughters, including Sandra Yvonne Serros, and four grandchildren. Sarah was the matriarch of the family and the family photographs of her and Adolfo showed their deep love for one another. Although details about their backgrounds are limited, we know that both were loved and adored by their family members and friends. Like many of the people in Walmart that morning, the couple regularly traveled across the border into El Paso to do their shopping. And like many, they were murdered in cold blood. When word spread about the horrific massacre, their family members became frantic because they didn't live in America. Their family had a hard time getting information on what happened. Eventually they got confirmation they were two of the victims. Their daughter Sandra posted to Facebook saying, with deep pain in our hearts, we inform you that our dear parents died in the tragic shooting. I don't know how long it will take for my soul to heal. We thank you infinitely for your prayers, your support, concern calls and messages. They have been a great company during this crisis. She later posted a photo of her grandparents sitting at a table holding up drinks and a toast, a happy image that they wanted to remember them by. Their granddaughter Vilke Yu later wrote on Facebook, I don't know if heaven exists, but if it does, I hope you are as comfortable and happy as you are here.
- [44:51]
Courtney Brown
Another couple inside the Walmart that morning was 77 year old Maria Flores and her husband 83 year old Raul Flores. The two had been married for 60 beautiful years and during that time they hardly ever spent a day apart. The couple met in Juarez, Mexico decades earlier when Raul worked as a tailor. Their family later said, quote, he would make sure he was outside sweeping when Maria would walk down the sidewalk. He tried getting her attention by asking her, shall I brush your hair? As he motioned with the broom, end quote. And eventually his tactic worked. After giving him a chance, Maria was swept off her feet. Soon after they married and Raul doted on Maria. I think it's safe to say her love language was gifts and Raul made sure to fulfill that. He loved buying her shoes and clothes and watching the smile grow across her face when he gifted them to her. Throughout their life, Raul was a painter and Maria was a homemaker who loved to cook large, elaborate meals and fancy desserts for her family while dancing to Elvis Presley or Marco Antonio Solis. Now in those early days, the couple lived in California and they went on to have three children, Raul Flores Jr. Leticia Saldana and Andriana Flores. Unfortunately, in 1959 they lost their two week old infant Alejandra to pneumonia, but her death only brought them closer. Now in the early 2000s as the couple grew older, they decided to relocate to El Paso and they loved it there. They spent their days together gardening, cooking tamales and spending quality time with their 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Their family would later say that if their grandkids called Maria, saying they were coming over, they could always expect a plate full of their favorite food when they walked through the door. Raul and Maria were the backbone of their family and their love was something special. Their daughters said, quote they were so much alike, my parents, they were inseparable. My whole life, that was my goal, to have a marriage, a love like that, end quote. Sadly, in the weeks before the shooting, Raul had been having some health problems. In fact, he was scheduled to have open heart surgery just a few days later. Maria was worried. She loved her husband more than anything and the thought of something happening to him after having him right there by her side for her whole life was scary. To prepare for the upcoming surgery, Maria some of their relatives were coming to stay at their house. So Raul and Maria went to the Walmart that morning to buy some air mattresses for them. But sadly, just minutes after they arrived, the gunman came in and shot them both. Raul and Maria would die on the floor of that Walmart right next to each other. Their son, Raul Jr. Told the Washington Post that even though his parents didn't deserve to die the way they did, he found comfort knowing they died together. He said, quote, I tell myself, maybe it's the Lord's way of doing it. Maybe he knew my father wasn't going to make it during this surgery. And maybe he knew that if anything happened to my father, my mother would be destroyed. Maybe that's why he decided to take them together. End quote.
- [48:29]
Colin Brown
The Conspiracy Files is the most explosive show on the Internet. I'm your host Colin Brown from the paranormal files on YouTube and I'm inviting you to take this twisted journey down the Rabb Hole with me. Together, we will dive deep into some of the world's most dangerous and disturbing conspiracy theories. From suspicious suicides to hidden pedophile rings and high profile cover ups. On my show, no story is off limits and no detail will be spared. And trust me, after listening to just one episode, you will never look at the world the same. So if you like conspiracies, mysteries, true crime and chaos, then this is the show for you. Listen to the Conspiracy Files now on all streaming platforms or wherever you get your podcasts. Another couple whose lives were completely changed that day was 60 year old Arturo Benavides and his wife Patty. Arturo was born and raised in El Paso. He grew up in the city's South Central neighborhood. After graduating from Jefferson High School, he enlisted in the army in June of 1978. Throughout his military career, he held multiple jobs. Hawk missile crewman, cargo specialist and motor transportation operator. After his time in the military, Arturo worked in El Paso's public transit for 20 years. From 1993 to 2006, he also worked as a bus driver. His niece Jacqueline Luna would later say people would look forward to riding on his bus regulars would only ride with him. That says a lot. Now, because of his different jobs, a lot of people around town knew him. Anytime he would go out, people would come up and talk to him. He was a very friendly man that people were drawn to. It is why his wife Patty fell for him. By 2019, the two had been married for 34 years. Throughout that time, they never had children of their own, but their family was everything to them. Their niece Jacqueline Luna would later say, I was practically their child. I spent my childhood waking up at their house, sitting out on the front porch with him on Sunday mornings, listening to the oldies on the radio. Jacqueline said that Arturo loved to tell stories, especially from his days in the Army. He also loved rock music, Pineapple Upside down cake, and his dog Milo. But the main thing people remember him by is his kindness. His niece Jacqueline said, if anyone ever needed anything, he was the first one there. If we needed a ride, a shirt or a meal, he was always the first person to offer anything he had. Whenever we all went out to eat, he would pay the whole bill. He didn't want anyone to spend a dime on. This morning, Arturo and Patty made their way to Walmart for their weekly shopping. Now, they usually bought groceries on Sunday after church, but they decided to change it up this week. Around 10:40, they stepped up to the self checkout line, and while Arturo scanned all of their merchandise, Patty excused herself to the restroom at the front of the store. However, while she was in there, she heard the horrible sound of gunfire. While we weren't able to figure out exactly what happened with Patty at that moment, whether she stayed in the bathroom or if she ran to safety, we do know that she did survive. However, her husband Arturo did not. He was shot and killed at the self checkout line. Patty would later describe the impact Arturo made on her life. She said he was always joking, always laughing, something she will miss dearly.
- [52:01]
Courtney Brown
Now, horrifically, there is actually video footage from inside the Walmart that morning. I do not recommend watching it because it is horrific, but in it, shortly after the shooting started, you can see an elderly man walk out of the bathroom towards the front of the store. He clearly had no idea what was going on, and immediately after walking out, the gunman shot him in the back of the head. Now, I don't know who this victim was, but in the footage you see him dropped to the ground, face down, clearly succumbing to his injuries. And the gunman just casually walks by his body and walks towards the first convenience bank located at the front of the building. The audio clip we are about to play is from the deadly gunfire that took place inside the bank.
- [53:03]
Colin Brown
Survivor Christopher Grant said that he will never forget the sounds that came from the people in the bank before he ran to safety. This is what he heard.
- [53:12]
Christopher Grant
And then so he walked to the bank, which was right by the restrooms, and just randomly started. I mean, people were praying in Spanish, por favor, no, no. Por favor, no. And he was just, they were on the ground and he still just shot him in the head. I mean, they were praying in Spanish. I mean, I'm from El Paso and I know Spanish. And they were praying, please, please don't shoot me. And he had no remorse for their lives at all.
- [53:45]
Courtney Brown
61 year old Gloria Irma Marquez had just stepped up to the bank's ATM when the gunmen approached her. Gloria was from Mexico. She was described as, quote, loving, caring and beautiful. She loved everything bright, including flowers. And she was not a fan of the color black. At the time, Gloria was working for the elderly in El Paso and her patients absolutely loved her. In fact, they would go out of their way to ask for her over other care workers. Now, at the time, Gloria had been living with her partner John Ogas for 11 years. When the two met, John had fallen on hard times and was living in a rundown trailer. But when Gloria entered his life, everything changed. She helped get him back on his feet and into a new home. John said, quote, she was very protective of the people she loved, end quote. And although they were not married, they often referred to each other as husband and wife. But more than anything in the world, Gloria took pride in being a mother. According to her family, quote, the kids were everything to her, end quote. She had four daughters and four grandkids. Now, two of her daughters lived in America, but the other two still lived in Mexico. Because of this, Gloria had been separated from one of her daughters for over 13 years. But shortly before the shooting, she received the wonderful news that her daughter's visa was received and that the two would finally be reunited. But sadly, she would never get the chance. That morning, Gloria and her partner John had gone to Walmart together. But after entering the store, they split up. Gloria headed to the ATM to withdraw some money from the bank while John waited for her at the in store McDonald's. However, seconds later, the gunman entered. Soon after those first shots rang out, John was able to run to safety. Once in the parking lot, he frantically called Gloria over and over again. For five whole hours. He kept calling her because he just couldn't bring himself to believe that she had been killed. But with each unanswered call, he knew deep down that she was gone. And eventually he got word that Gloria had passed away. Inside, her niece would later say, Gloria was a dedicated mother, grandmother, mother and friend, end quote. Now back inside the Walmart, the horrors were still unfolding. One of the bank tellers at the first convenience bank would later say that she would never be the same after this day. Now she doesn't want to be identified, so we will call her Kim. But Kim was almost nine months pregnant at the time. She remembered that from where she was sitting inside the bank, she could see the cashiers beginning to stir. But then she heard a sound. She said it sounded like something heavy fell, like something fell hard and fast. We all looked around to see what was going on, but couldn't see anything. Never could I have imagined it was a shooting, end quote. The next thing she heard was a customer's piercing scream. Oh, my God, he's shooting. Kim would later say, I remember hiding under the desk where I was sitting. Everybody in the teller line, my co workers, they all hid under the counters. Suddenly, everybody started running towards my manager's office, end quote. But all of these people soon realized a problem. The manager's office had this huge glass window. If someone wanted in, all they would have to do is shoot through it. So from there, the bank employees decided to go to a nearby vault room, which was much more secure. Kim said, I started crawling. All I could think that this was a bank robbery and that we were being robbed, end quote. Once in the vault room, the six employees were frantic. Right outside the door, they continued to hear the sounds of the massacre. Gunshots, the clang of bullet casings, and most horrifically, the screams. Kim said that they weren't just screams of fear and pain. There were also screams of agony from people watching their loved ones die right in front of them. And there was nothing they could do. Inside the vault, Kim later said, we were just holding hands. We were all crying. One of my co workers was praying. He asked if it was okay that he prayed out loud. One was quietly calling 91 1-end-quote. They were also still worried that the gunman was coming for them. Kim remembered thinking to herself, quote, I'm dead. I'm going to die. Me and my baby are going to die, end quote. Kim even said she pried a piece of metal off the door and held it right in front of her pregnant belly just in case. She also texted her mom and partner, saying, I love you all, but There was something else that haunted Kim. While she and her co workers were crawling over to the vault room, Kim said she briefly looked over her shoulder and there she saw a 15 year old boy. Through tears, Kim later said, quote, the young boy, he was hiding under the desk, but then he ran towards the manager's office. He was banging on the door, end quote. But almost immediately after banging on the door, the 15 year old was shot dead.
- [59:22]
Colin Brown
That boy was Javier Amir Rodriguez. He was there that morning with his uncle, 23 year old Octavio Lazarde. Javier, often called Amir by his friends and family, was born and raised in El Paso. He attended Clint Independent School District School since elementary school and had recently finished up his freshman year at Horizon High School. Now Javier's family had just moved to a different part of El Paso, which meant he would have to start his sophomore year at a different school. But everyone was confident that he would adjust well. Javier was a good kid. His middle school teacher, Adrian Barrios described him as someone with positive energy who lit up the room with his bright smile and hair flips. His math teacher, Jose Tobias stated he was energetic, talkative and smart. He was also a talented soccer player. He played striker for Horizon High School Scorpions and also played on a local club team. His former coach, Juan Ferreira stated that Javier often told his teammates, do your best, stay focused, hone your craft in soccer. The president of his soccer club said, I remember Javi like it was yesterday. He was a happy boy, always smiling and funny. He was a boy that every coach would like to have on his team. He never missed a practice or a game. He was always the first one on the field and also last one. He just enjoyed playing the sport. And that was true. Javier was known to arrive at school early just so he could play with his friends. He would also skip lunch to practice with the girls team. It was his passion through and through.
- [60:58]
Courtney Brown
Now, one of Javier's favorite people was his uncle Octavio. The two were only eight years apart, so for their entire lives it felt as if they were more like brothers. Octavio would later say that they would often play video games together on the weekends and that Javier was his ride or die. On this weekend in particular, Octavio and Javier planned to spend it together. The night before, they had stayed up late playing video games and on Saturday, Octavio told Javier that he would take him to get a haircut. With the start of his senior year right around the corner, he wanted him to feel confident, especially because he was starting at a new school. But before the haircut Octavio needed to run a few errands. They ended up stopping at the Walmart so Octavio could open a bank account and cash a check. Afterwards, he also planned to buy his nephew some school supplies. But they would never have the chance because while the two of them were at the first convenience bank, a gunman entered the Walmart and started shooting people at random. Upon hearing the gunfire, Octavio and Javier knew that they were in danger. But being right there at the front of the store, there was nowhere to go. They quickly ran behind the bank's counter, but after realizing they were still in harm's way, they decided to run towards the manager's office. But to their horror, it was locked and the gunman was walking in their direction. Octavio would later say that he briefly saw the gunman and next he saw the gun. Over the next few moments, bullets flew all around them. When the gunfire stopped, Octavio noticed that he had been shot in the leg. But when he looked over at his nephew, 15 year old Javier Rodriguez, he immediately knew that he was dead. Sadly, Javier would be the youngest victim of the massacre. Later on, when help finally arrived, Octavio was taken to the hospital and he would eventually make a recovery. But the emotional scars of losing his nephew would stick with him forever. Here is Octavio at a press conference at the hospital where he was being treated. Clearly, he's still in shock by what happened.
- [63:21]
Christopher Grant
I just feel grateful that I'm alive. He had the chance to kill me, but he didn't. I know because God's with me and who could go against me? I did lose my nephew right in front of me. I won't put the details, but it was horrible image and I hope nobody ever goes straight. I'm in pain. It hurts, but this, this, this pain will end. The only pain I want is the emotional.
- [64:04]
Courtney Brown
With all of the chaos in El Paso that day, Octavio and Javier's loved ones had no idea what had happened to either of them. It wouldn't be until the following morning when they learned of Javier's fate. His aunt Elvira later posted to Facebook, quote, thank you to everyone who helped us search for my nephew. We found him, end quote. She would later write. I just don't get why. I know I'll never have answers. I'm so confused, hurt and mad. May you rest in peace, baby boy. We love you so much.
- [64:38]
Colin Brown
After multiple surgeries, Octavio was released from the hospital. He said that from there he was trying to focus on healing. But the physical pain wasn't the only thing holding him Back he also experienced some ptsd.
- [64:52]
Christopher Grant
We go, but I don't feel safe, so I'm always looking around and every little sound that, well, the plate drops or something like, I panic. I don't think I'm gonna get. Ever get over it. Especially because he was like, my son. I did dream that he came into the. Through the door and he asked me if I wanted to play Xbox. And I was like. I looked at him and. And I was like, well, where were you?
- [65:17]
Colin Brown
Octavio would eventually make a post about his cousin that read. I miss you so much, Carnelito. Many things that I do that I see remind me of you. It's very difficult to be without you and needed so much all these months. I don't do much because everything reminds me of you. As I would like to return to the time to listen to you, to give you a hug, to wish you face to face when I love you, how much you mean to me. I only ask God to let me see you once a day. At least in my dreams I can talk to you, my son. No one will ever know how much you really mean to me. I know that you know and made me happy. But I need you, Mesacito, to hear your voice and your jokes, your nonsense. They'd always made me laugh when we played the fights, but if we accidentally hit each other, but we had fun, believe me. I tried to guide you, give you the best advice, teach you to be responsible and respectful and achieve. I know that sometimes you feel you weren't perfect, but for me, yes, Carnelito, I love you. In another post, he wrote five long, restless, sleepless, most rough, frustrating, crazy, uncomfortable, most hardest, depressing, etc. Months of my life without you, Carnelito. I love you so much. It runs through my head nonstop. Depression, anxiety, fear of anything I hear or do. Not having you has been so hard. I can't live my life. Thoughts tormenting my mind. But you know what? I always have you in my heart. I hear your voice in my head. But how I would love to hear your voice and hug you here on Earth. I'll see you very soon, my man. I love you more than anything in this dark, worthless earth. Nothing will ever make me happy unless you were here again. I try to stay positive for you, for grandma, for your mama, but it's hard. But I miss you and hope you are with me wherever I go, if you can. I ask for you to visit me in my dreams so I can talk to you and catch up.
- [67:05]
Courtney Brown
Inside the Walmart security footage captured video Of a man inside the bank hiding behind one of the columns. After shooting at people, the gunman spots the man, walks over to him and shoots him point blank. Again, we don't know who this victim was, but it was obvious that he passed. And from there the gunman turns around and starts walking towards the cash registers. At that time, people were still trying to run to safety. Some who had been shot were playing dead on the ground. Others were hiding throughout the store. Some of these people would later come forward and say that from their hiding positions they could see the gunman shoes eerily walking around looking for more victims. They watched as he callously stepped over dead bodies. Here is one video that was taken from one of these hiding spots.
- [68:18]
Colin Brown
One woman at the checkout line was 86 year old Maria Angie Silva Englesby. Born on November 3, 1932 in Santa Fe, Angie was the matriarch of her large family and it had been that way for decades. After the birth of her seven children, Angie became a widow at just 38 years old when her husband died from a heart attack. But from that moment on, she did everything in her power to give her kids a good life. She even worked three different jobs to support them. One family member said, Working numerous jobs at the same time to feed her family life was hard. Through her hard work, her children all became strong but extremely caring and compassionate and productive members of our community. As Angie got older and her kids grew up, she was so proud of her large family. By 2019, she had 26 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Her grandson Jacob would later say she made the very best red beans and rice and red chili pozole. She always had a hot pot of fresh coffee for her visitors and a quick meal. Angie also loved watching General Hospital on tv and she loved the Dallas Cowboys. Her son Will worked as a shift manager at a local sports bar, and every night he worked late, Angie would wait for him on the couch. She always wanted to make sure her loved ones were safe. The night before the shooting, Will had returned late and although he tried to sneak in without waking his mother, she woke up and greeted him. He told her that he lost another pair of sunglasses, something that had become a habit, and the two laughed as she jokingly scolded him. Her family said that Angie was a very honest woman. She never beat around the bush, but at the same time, she was very compassionate and also independent. She had a very strict routine that she followed. At 86 years old, she was still driving herself around, even though she had a hard time walking and every Saturday, she would attend Mass at St. Pius X in El Paso and then head to Walmart for her weekly shopping trip, which is exactly what she was doing that morning. Shortly before the shooting, she was actually on the phone with her son. According to him, he had recently returned from a vacation and Angie was so excited to hear all about his adventures. Neither of them realized that this would be their very last conversation because while Angie was checking out, the gunman entered the store and began shooting. According to Angie's family, she had bad legs so she wouldn't have been able to quickly get away. But Angie did try to duck and hide. However, soon enough the gunman walked over and shot her. Another family whose lives were changed that day was the family of 63 year old David Alva Johnson, his wife Cathy and their granddaughter, nine year old Kaitlyn Rose Melendez. David was born on July 10, 1956 and he was born and raised in El Paso. After graduating high school in 1975, David spent some time in the Army. He also worked as a contractor for Texas Lighting, where everyone said he never took a day off. When David met his wife Kathy, she already had a daughter named Stephanie. But he loved her like his own and after getting married they would go on to have three other children, Wayne, Crystal and Kimberly. David loved his family. He loved to golf and he was known for his warm personality. His nephew Dominic said he smiled with his eyes and always addressed you with a high pitched warm welcome. Throughout the years, David enjoyed spending time with his kids and grandchildren. His family said that he often helped them with their homework. Pictures show him tossing his grandkids in the air with the biggest smile or proudly lighting their birthday candles. On the morning of August 3rd, David and his wife Kathy agreed to take their granddaughter Katelyn to Walmart to get her a present. Once Katelyn had picked out her toy, they made their way to the front to check out. Moments after the gunman started his rampage, David's thoughts were with his family. He quickly yelled at them to run, but there was no time. After realizing this, David pushed his wife and granddaughter under the checkout counter as bullets rained in his direction. David ended up taking the brunt of those bullets, dying to protect his family. And while the gunman continued shooting all around, Kathy and 9 year old Kaitlin had no other choice but to lie there and play dead. As they did, bullets continued to hit David, shielding them. Even in death, his daughter would later write, as many know, my amazing father pushed my niece and mother out of the way of fire, taking the possible bullets meant for them nearby, 24 year.
- [72:53]
Courtney Brown
Old Andre Pablo Enchando and his wife 24 year old Jordan were shopping in Walmart with their 2 month old son Paul. Jordan was born on November 10, 1994. She graduated from Franklin High School in 2013. Shortly after she gave birth to her first daughter Skylin. Then a few years after that, she had another daughter named Victoria. According to the people who loved her, Jordan was, quote, the epitome of love and a selfless mother. She loved making family dinners, watching her daughters at cheer practice and playing with her kids at the park. Her sister Letta said Jordan was, quote, someone who would light up your world, end quote. But her life seemed to get even brighter when Andre came into the picture. Andre was also a Franklin High School graduate. His brother Tito said that he always knew his brother would do big things when they were little. He would buy candy bars and sell them to the kids at school for profit. He was definitely a go getter after high school he even co owned Color Master auto body shop with his father Gilbert. But after a while he wanted to build a business of his own. So that's when he created Andre house of granite and stone, installing granite countertops and renovating kitchens. Now, like any business owner, it wasn't easy. His brother Tito said that he had been in a bit of a Ruth, but all of that would change. When he met Jordan, Tito said, quote, she was his support system. When he met Jordan, it gave him more reason to get on track with his life. He got his life in order, end quote. In 2018, Andre and Jordan got married and Andre immediately got to work remodeling their first home. Here is Andre's brother Tito.
- [74:48]
Colin Brown
You can ask anybody you know, that was Andre's friend.
- [74:52]
Christopher Grant
He was the kindest soul that you can meet.
- [74:54]
Colin Brown
And Jordan, you know, a beautiful, you know, beautiful woman helped my brother through.
- [74:59]
Christopher Grant
Everything that you know, he was having troubles with, really loved each other. So much so that they started building a home for each other.
- [75:06]
Courtney Brown
Andre wanted to make sure the home was perfect, especially because they had a baby. Their son Paul was born in May of 2019 and they were over the moon. Their little family of five was everything they had ever wanted. But soon enough that would all be taken away. August 3, 2019 was supposed to be a beautiful day for the couple. Andre and Jordan had just celebrated their one year anniversary. Later that evening they were going to have a housewarming party and anniversary celebration with all of their loved ones. So they planned to stop by Walmart later that morning to pick up a few things. Andre's father Gilbert said that he was on his way to work that day when he stopped at a red light in front of their house. Outside, he saw Andre and Jordan along with their three children. He was going to honk and wave at them, but the light turned green so he didn't. But he figured it was alright because he would see them later that day at the family barbecue. However, that wouldn't be the case. After dropping their daughters off at cheerleading practice, Jordan and Andre decided to run to Walmart. With them that morning was their two month old son Paul. The couple browsed the aisles picking up food and some school supplies for their daughters. But after making their way to the front, they would come face to face with the gunman. Andre was shot in the back and died instantly as he slumped over. Jordan was terrified, but more than anything, she wanted to protect her baby. She was able to shield baby Paul as bullets flew in their direction. Jordan was shot several times and like many others, she would lose her life. But luckily her baby survived. When Jordan dropped to the ground, it's believed she landed on her son's hand and broke several of his fingers. But by some miracle, those were his only injuries. Later on, when people in the store began running to safety, a random man saw baby Paul on the ground. He was lying alongside his dead mother and father, crying. Soaked in their blood, the man was able to grab him and run to safety. Later that day, when word got out about the shooting, Andre's brother Tito called him over and over again with no answer. Hours later he got the call that they needed to identify someone at the hospital. It was his sister in law Jordan. But Andre wasn't there. Because of this, they hoped that maybe he was still alive. However, they later got word that he too was one of the victims. They were devastated. Two month old Paul lost both of his parents that day. Their daughters lost their mother and stepfather. Andre's family would later post. It's official, he's gone. Pray for him and our family. Pray for that evil man who is sick in his mind. We're angry, we're sad, there's disbelief, there are just no words. End quote.
- [78:14]
Colin Brown
Later that day, Jordan's cousins Liz and Justin would speak to the media.
- [78:19]
Maribel Latine
What little we know, just with all the chaos and all the things that have been said is that he was pulled. Baby Paul was pulled from her. Still had blood I would imagine. From what we understand, he went into the hospital as.
- [78:36]
Christopher Grant
John Doe. Baby John Doe. The details are very cloudy, but from what we understand, baby Paul has recovered from the crime scene with his mother on top of him. And we got word that Andre had jumped in front of his, his wife to protect his wife and son throughout the whole circumstance. Very devastating. His mother and, and, and the son was taken to the hospital thankfully.
- [79:06]
Maribel Latine
But we lost Jordan.
- [79:07]
Christopher Grant
We lost Jordan yesterday and Andre as well.
- [79:11]
Maribel Latine
They were the light. They were definitely a contribution to this world. They will be missed. Jordan would talk to anybody and everybody. She was every bit of a self sacrificing mother, obviously. Andre, an amazing father. She was the light of our life. She was the jokester, she was the contagious laugh, a smile that could light up the room and the world could know that two amazing humans were stripped from us and their babies are left now parentless. But we want, we will do everything in our power to, as a family to unite behind them and continue to remind them of the amazing parents that they had. Just there's not enough words to. I think the ultimate sacrifice a parent can show of love is obviously shielding your children, which you shouldn't be doing.
- [80:07]
Christopher Grant
Yeah.
- [80:08]
Maribel Latine
In a Walmart, when you're shopping for.
- [80:10]
Colin Brown
School supplies, here's Jordan's sister, Ashley Salazar.
- [80:14]
Maribel Latine
You think about the past and you think about, you think about, you think about them dying and it's just really.
- [80:24]
Christopher Grant
Hard because you know they were good.
- [80:26]
Maribel Latine
People and you don't think good people like that die.
- [80:30]
Colin Brown
Within just three minutes, the gunman had murdered 23 people inside of that Walmart in El Paso, Texas. But just as quickly as he came in, he was gone. When he couldn't find any more victims, he decided to walk out back into the parking lot. There his victims were still sprawled out on the pavement. Many were receiving aid from bystanders. Upon seeing him, the people in the parking lot were terrified. One woman named Angela Hubbard even played dead.
- [80:59]
Maribel Latine
I just kept saying to myself, hail Mary, full of grace, over and over. Then I see Patrick Crusius coming out of the middle exit. I say to myself, oh God, I see the shooter. He's coming out of the Walmart. He was walking out of the middle entrance exit door with the AK style rifle pointed straight up. My heart sank because I thought, that's it. My life is over. I'm going to be murdered and I can't escape. Patrick Crusius was walking with speed, confidence and determination as he walked out of the Walmart that morning. I saw you. He didn't look scared or nervous to me. Patrick Crusius. I fooled you. I tricked you. I was alive, playing dead. I could have been your 24th victim. You could have shot and murdered me. There I was on the ground playing dead and praying. I'm one of the survivors that got away. I hope the thought that I survived upsets you. I survived. I'm here.
- [82:59]
Colin Brown
But sadly, the gunman would take the life of one more victim. As he was walking out of Walmart, he lifted his gun once more and fired at a passing vehicle. 77 year old Juan de Dios Velasquez was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, but he and his wife Estella eventually moved to CIO Don Juarez together. The couple would go on to have six children and from there, 15 grandchildren. They spent the majority of their lives in Mexico. But as Juan grew older, he had dreams of retiring somewhere safer than his hometown. So eventually he and his wife Estella decided to settle down in El Paso. It was the perfect location for them as they would still be close to their friends and family in Mexico. Juan and Estella had just made the move about six months prior to and they were loving it. Every Saturday they would go to the Walmart in town to buy groceries for the week. It was a part of their routine. But this Saturday would end much differently than the others.
- [83:58]
Courtney Brown
Juan had just pulled into the parking lot that morning with his wife Estella in the passenger seat. It's unclear if they heard those first shots ring out, but as they drove past, the gunman spotted them and he quickly lifted his gun and he fired. Juan quickly turned towards his wife, using his body to shield her as bullets came flying towards them. When the gunfire stopped, they had both been shot. Juan had a gunshot wound to his back and Estella was shot in the stomach. Over the next few minutes, the couple would bleed from their wounds, waiting for help to arrive. And during that time, they decided to call the people they love most in the world, their children. While speaking on the phone with their daughter, they cried, telling her that they had been shot and that it hurt. But all she could do in that moment was tell them to stay calm and breathe. Sadly, this would be the very last conversation she would ever have with her father. By the time paramedics arrived, Juan was still alive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent three operations. But unfortunately, he would pass away days later. On Monday, August 5, his wife Estella would luckily make a full recovery. Now, after walking out of the store, it seemed as if the gunman was no longer focused on killing. Instead he was focused on getting away. He quickly ran to his vehicle and peeled out of the parking lot. The police ended up arriving at the Walmart Six minutes after the shooting started. But by that point, the gunman was already gone. While a group of officers went to find him, another group went inside the Walmart to assess the damage. And it was way worse than anyone expected. Out in the parking lot were several victims already deceased, their blood and brain matter staining the earth beneath them. The officers then walked through the automatic doors leading into Walmart. The air was still thick with the ominous cloud of gun smoke. There were shoes on the ground, bullet casings, cell phones, groceries carts scattered throughout the aisles, and of course, lots and lots of blood. But most notable of all were the dozens of bodies. Every few feet, there was a body, sometimes multiple, piled up alongside each other. A lot of the victims were older people. Most of them were Hispanic. And sadly, there were also living relatives of those victims weeping as they held their deceased loved one. Many of those survivors had injuries of their own. When the police announced their presence within the store, survivors slowly started coming out of their hiding spots. But even with the officers there, these people had looks of fear on their faces. And seeing the carnage all around them only made it worse. Back inside the vault room within the bank, six employees were still hiding, including that woman, Kim, that we mentioned earlier. Kim was on the phone with her partner Alex. At the time, she didn't know that the shooter left the building, and she was in the middle of telling him her goodbyes. But then she heard the sound of police outside the door. Upon opening that door, the officers immediately warned the workers that they might want to close their eyes as the scene outside was horrific. But Kem kept them open. As she made her way out, she saw a body on the floor in a pool of blood. It was 15 year old Javier. His uncle Octavio was standing over him, screaming in agony. Just beyond that, Kim saw the Enchanto family who we just mentioned. She would later say that she remembered seeing them shortly before the shots rang out. She recalled looking at baby Paul and his little carrier. At the time, Kim thought to herself that they seemed to have a lot in common. She and Jordan were both young moms who were working to give their kids a good life. Except now, as she walked out of the vault room, Kim saw that Jordan was dead, as was her husband lying next to her. Two parents wiped out in an instant. Now Kim would end up giving birth to her baby two weeks after this, but things were hard. She said that after giving birth, she couldn't even look at those baby chest carriers. All she could think of when she saw them was, was Jordan, who was wearing one that day. And according to Kim, the trauma from this massacre was so severe, she believes it had an effect on her baby in utero. She said that after his birth, her son was easily frightened. He suffered from night terrors and long, uncontrollable crying spells. Doctors have since told Kim that her baby's symptoms are likely from the unbelievable amount of trauma she faced that day. Kim later said of her son, he was also a victim, and he's still suffering. He's going to carry this forever, too.
- [89:17]
Colin Brown
Soon enough, the dozens of people who were injured in the attack were removed from the building and brought to the hospital for treatment. Some of those victims would go on to lose their lives. But of the people who were left inside the Walmart, they were dead on arrival. Like any mass shooting, authorities went to work immediately identifying those victims. Meanwhile, the entire world was learning about the horrific mass shooting in El Paso, Texas.
- [89:43]
Courtney Brown
And like with any mass shooting, our hearts were broken. The world felt incredibly heavy. It's impossible to wrap your head around these tragedies. How can someone walk into a room and do something like that? How can you look at these innocent people in the face, see the fear in their eyes, and decide to violently take their life? You know, in a lot of our mass shooting episodes, I say that the killer indiscriminately shot at people in the room because in a lot of those cases, they don't care who their victims are. They don't care if they're old or young, if they're wealthy or poor, or if they have children and families who love them. They simply want to kill as many people as possible to top the last mass shooter. But that is not the case for today's story. While this shooter did want to maximize casualties, he was not shooting indiscriminately. In fact, he was there that day in the city of El Paso strictly because he wanted to kill Hispanics. As the facts of this case spread around the country, many people were horrified to know that this wasn't a random act of violence. It was a hate crime.
- [90:59]
Colin Brown
So join us next week for the final part of this series. In it, we will talk about the shooters arrests, the survivors, the community, the national response, and finally, the trial. For today's episode, we will be making a donation to the El Paso Victims Relief Fund, who support victims and survivors that were directly impacted by the August 3rd mass shooting. Hey, everybody, thank you so much for listening to today's episode of Murder in America. I know that this was an incredibly hard episode to get through and a really sad episode. These stories, they do not get any less horrific the more that we cover them. Courtney and I can advocate for change all that we can here on the podcast, but it's just a sad reality of living in America that until something changes, these things will just continue to happen. If you like what we do here and you support the work that we do here on Murder in America, please consider joining us on Patreon. On Patreon, you can get early ad free access to episodes of our show. So if you don't like the ads, consider joining us on Patreon. And for some of the higher tiers, you can get access to bonus episodes that are posted every month. We already have over 120, 125, I don't even know how many exactly bonus episodes of the show on our Patreon. So if you've never signed up and you sign up today, you could immediately get access to all of those episodes. If you want to see photos from the cases that we cover here on the show, please follow us on Instagram murderinamerica. And as always, please leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to the show. Those reviews are very important and they help us so much. Anyways, y', all, thank you for joining us today. We appreciate it so much. We will see you next week for part three and I'll catch you all on the next one.