Houston — HOUSTON - The last unsuspecting victim on Jose Rodriguez’s alleged crime spree was working his shift inside a Mattress One store off I-45 and Crosstimbers.
The victim has been identified by family as 57-year-old Edward Magaña.
Magaña was shot and killed inside the store Monday afternoon.
The last 24 hours have been the most surreal for Magaña’s family. His children said the tragic events that took place inside the store could have happened to anyone.
Magaña’s son Eric said, sadly, it happened to their dad.
“I feel a genuine sense of emptiness,” Eric Magaña said.
Eric, along with his brother, Raul, and sister, Paola, are coping with the tragic death.
“It’s just so weird. So weird," Eric Magaña said. "You’re so used to seeing someone so often. You’re used to hearing their voice.”
“I’ve had so many great memories with him and so many great memories with him and my mom. It’s just so weird. I’m just waiting for him to walk through the doors," Paola Morales said.
The family is numbed to know their father was killed inside the Mattress One store in a random act of violence by a killer on the run.
“Right now, on top of everything else that is going on, dealing with the fact that my mother is effectively broken by this tragedy is just really devastating for me, personally, to have to witness this," Raul Magaña said. "My parents are my rocks. They’re my best friends.”
“It hit me like a train," Morales said. "I broke down before my mom even had the chance to, but I knew I had to get it out of the way so I can be there for her and be strong.”
Photos: Jose Gilberto Rodriguez arrested after chase in Harris County
Eric Magaña was one of the last people to talk with Edward Magaña before he was killed.
“He said, 'I have a customer. I have to go. I’ll call you afterward.' I said, ‘All right’. I waited for the call, basically," Eric Magaña said.
Edward Magaña held jobs as an ESL teacher, Uber driver and most recently at the Mattress One store as a sales representative.
He had only been at the Crosstimbers location for a few weeks.
“To him, his work was getaway. He couldn’t stand to be home and just doing nothing, and that’s something that I really respected. He had to be doing something to keep himself busy,” Eric Magaña said.
His kids say this act of violence could have happened anywhere. It’s a living nightmare they don’t wish upon anyone.
“Go and hug your loved ones tonight and be thankful that they’re still around, because you never know when that’s going to change," Raul Magaña said.
The family is working on funeral arrangements and said they will rely on each other to get them through these tough times.