EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Juan Francisco Gomez, 44, was fatally stabbed at a D-K gas station on Alameda Ave. in South Central El Paso on Tuesday morning.

His son, Jonathan Gomez, an Army veteran, shared memories of his father, describing him as a religious and selfless individual.

“My dad was a man of God, a lovely man, he praised the Lord like no other,” Jonathan said. “He had a big heart.”

Jonathan hopes the community remembers his father as someone who cared deeply for those around him.

“He cherished his family a lot,” Jonathan said. “Always gave back to the homeless, always made sure everyone around him was okay before himself. He always had a smile. He brought energy, a positive energy, into this world.”

On Tuesday, Jonathan, an army veteran, had plans to celebrate Veterans Day. He said and drove past the gas station before learning his dad had been hurt.

He was told his father had been hurt around 10:00 a.m.

“I was driving down, and I obviously passed the gas station, and didn’t think it was pertaining to my father,” he said. “But when I got to the hospital, it didn’t really hit me until we received the news that my dad was deceased.”

El Paso Police arrested 30-year-old Manuel Gutierrez in connection with the stabbing, and he faces a murder charge.

Police documents state Gutierrez was at the gas station around 9:30 a.m., exited the store, and remained near his car.

Shortly after, Juan arrived and entered the D-K gas station. Gutierrez entered the gas station again, stood behind Juan. Moments later, Gutierrez pulled out a knife and stabbed Juan several times before dropping the knife and leaving the store. Juan later died at a local hospital.

Jonathan states that no one in the family knew Gutierrez. “We’ve never heard of him. We’ve never seen him. I just wish that man would find God,” he said.

According to jail records, as of Friday afternoon, Gutierrez remains booked at the downtown jail and is held on a $400,000 bond.

For those wishing to help the Gomez family, a GoFundMe was created.

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