Monrovia mother's emotional plea: Help find my son's killer

MONROVIA, Calif. (KABC) -- The mother of a murdered Monrovia teen issued an emotional plea Thursday for the public to help provide information on her son's killer.

Investigators said they have no credible leads on who killed Oscar Garcia, 18, on April 22 and they believe he may have been shot in a case of mistaken identity.

Guadalupe Castaneda said her son was a loving boy who always helped others. Oscar, a senior at Canyon Oaks High School, loved skateboarding and soccer and planned to attend Pasadena City College to study photography.

"He would always go the extra mile to care for others," a tearful Castaneda said. "He didn't deserve to end this way."

"I please ask anybody out there, please come forward and help law enforcement to find this subject. I don't want no mother to be going through this. No family deserves to go through this."

On the night of April 22, Oscar and a male friend were visiting a female friend at her home and hanging out in the garage, detectives said. Suddenly, a man appeared in the garage door and pointed a handgun at them. Words were briefly exchanged and then the man opened fire.

Oscar was fatally wounded and his male friend was injured but survived the shooting. Their female friend was not injured.

The suspect then ran southbound out of the alley and out of view.

Lt. Joe Mendoza with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said investigators have not been able to determine a motive for the shooting and they suspect mistaken identity.

"We believe the suspect was there to shoot at someone," Mendoza said. "However not our victims. Because our victims did not reside at that location. We just don't have any reasons why our victims would be targeted."

Detectives released a sketch and description of the suspect.

They described him as a light-skinned male, about 20-25 years old, with a medium build, brown eyes, short black hair, a goatee and wearing a black baseball cap with unknown logo.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at (323)890-5500 or provide an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

"He always brought peace and love to others," Castaneda said. "He touched everybody in the community. We all miss him. So please, please, someone don't be afraid."