Joey Casias, 38, of Covina, California, was fatally shot on December 21, 2021, after confronting a suspected car thief. Casias, a father of three, went to help two teenagers who had seen the suspect rummaging through a BMW parked outside their home. The confrontation moved to a nearby condo complex, where the suspect opened fire and Casias was struck and killed.

The suspect, identified in reports as Trevor Thompson, was arrested after a standoff with police and charged with murder, attempted murder, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Investigators say evidence including a blood trail and bullet casings indicate Casias was shot in the back while being pursued; the defense has maintained the suspect acted in self-defense, claiming he drew his weapon after being physically attacked.

Casias is remembered by the community as a good Samaritan who intervened. Does anyone have information about the confrontation that night or about Casias’s actions leading up to it?