Edward Mays, 33, of Stamford, Texas, was shot and killed on January 1, 2022, at the Carriage House Inn and Suites in Lubbock, Texas. He went by the last name Mays despite a misspelling on his birth certificate. A father of five, his family says he was trying to rebuild his life and reconnect with his children and described him as big-hearted and loving.

The Lubbock Police Department identified 27-year-old Joseph Sandoval as the suspect. Sandoval was also wanted for escaping from federal custody and was arrested on January 7, 2022, after a tip to Crime Line; the arrest involved Lubbock police, S.W.A.T., negotiators, the Texas Anti-gang Center, and the U.S. Marshals. Sandoval was later sentenced to 54 months in prison for escaping federal custody.

Edward reportedly told a witness trying to revive him to tell his children he loved them and that he had been trying to change his life. Nothing can bring him back, his family says, and they continue to mourn. Does anyone have information about Edward’s final hours or knew him when he was rebuilding his life?